Maybe WNC isn't right for me (Asheville, Henderson: real estate, low crime, houses)

[AAB1975]

I've lived in Atlanta for the past 31 years, and I can't take it anymore. I need to go somewhere, I'm just not sure where. We've talked about, researched, and dreamed about living somewhere in the Asheville area (or farther out like Arden, Brevard, Flether, Hendersonville, etc.), but the more I read, the more I don't think WNC right for us. We've visited Asheville and Fletcher a few times, and loved them every time. Let me tell you a little about us…

We're fed up with Atlanta's four seasons, 90+ degrees/humidity season, pollen season, mosquito season, annoying cold season when it's not nice enough to stay outside much but no snow to play in either. We enjoy 3-4 weeks a year where the weather is actually nice. We bought a camper to leave as often as we can between April and October. We would like to be somewhere east coast (friends and family along it), below where the long cold winters are but above gator country (ie VA to GA). We're a family of four, two late 30s working adults with a 3 and 1 year old. We both work from home full time for large companies, meaning we can literally live wherever we want. What we want (bear with me, it's an ambitious list!):

- Cooler average temps than Atlanta
- Low humidity
- Short pollen season
- Excellent schools
- Low crime/drugs
- Working class community with families (I don't want small town, but nothing like Atlanta either. We want fairs and festivals, and don’t care about coffee bars or artsy districts.)
- Politically moderate community (ie I believe in fiscal responsibility and restraint but freedom in personal issues)
- I’d love to have mountain views and have some land, but not required. More importantly, I need neighbors nearby for the kids to be friends with.

So with my wish list, I may have sadly ruled out the WNC area. While the weather is better, it may not be good for us. Some schools look very good, and real estate around them was comparable to many areas of Atlanta with good schools. Crime in most areas is low, and where it is high are the metropolitan areas I don't want to be in any way. It also looks like you can find a decent number of pockets with communities like I’m looking for. But... from many of the posts I’ve seen, it sounds like WNC would only be a little cooler, and at best 10-15 degrees in higher elevations. If you go too high, you become too distant from people, and the winters can be longer. Humidity is about the same as Atlanta, and pollen is just as bad. A lot of areas are very left leaning politically, and as a result schools and business are declining.

So, am I way off? I know I'm asking for a utopia that doesn't exist, but I'm realistic enough to know I can find places close. Given my circumstances, and if you did move to WNC, where in WNC would you live and why? Property wise, I would be looking at something between $375-425K. Thanks for any feedback!

AB

[drfranklin]

look west, ? Colorado Springs

no city/area in the southeast has a "short pollen season" and low humidity, not even Boone/Blowing Rock (maybe lower humidity)

[AAB1975]

Originally Posted by drfranklin

look west, ? Colorado Springs

no city/area in the southeast has a "short pollen season" and low humidity, not even Boone/Blowing Rock (maybe lower humidity)

Funny you say that! If I had no family or friend connections here, Colorado Springs would be my number one choice. Following that would be about three other cities in CO and the PNW. And I think I could deal with the Atlanta humidity if the heat wasn't so exhausting. When I wake up to 75 degrees and humid, that's fine. It's the 9am to 7pm heat mixed in that I'm over.

[saucystargazer]

Colorado Springs is incredibly conservative. I think you'd be better off in a suburb of Denver. But yea most of your wants can't all be found in WNC. It's humid but not Atlanta humid. We do have an increasing number of weeks in the summer where it's too hot to want to do much. But they are usually only weeks, not months.

[drfranklin]

Originally Posted by saucystargazer

Colorado Springs is incredibly conservative. I think you'd be better off in a suburb of Denver...

Generally agree - I only mentioned CS because AAB stated, "I don't want small town, but nothing like Atlanta either..."

Southern/SE Denver suburban cities can be quite conservative (IMO). Boulder is great but who can afford it? (and much more left leaning than "politically moderate")

In CS, conservative takes on a different "vibe" compared to the conservative areas of the Southeast. My opinion only.

The last time I was in Denver, traffic was awful (but not to the level of ATL) - metro Denver's growth is staggering and the housing market is insane.

Nevertheless, CS is still far removed from AAB's family/friends on the East Coast.

The Asheville metro is a great compromise for AAB (no area is perfect) - esp if they need to be close to family and desire to cut the heat of a Southeast summer.

[Sean_CLT]

Yeah if you don't want humidity or mosquitos, be thinking about places out west. I don't even think you have to go all the way to Colorado. Tulsa OK or Springfield MO might work. A little less humid but still green, decent mid-size cities with plenty of services. And you're not far from the Ozarks when you want to go see/hike mountains or boat on lakes.

[DLM2000]

Springfield, MO is insanely humid, IMO.

[Kazoo2016]

Your wish list describes the area of Portland, OR. We were considering it as a retirement destination and had made many trips. No humidity. No mosquitoes either!

But, crime is everywhere with the meth and opiod epidemic. Lots of breaking and entering to pay for their habit, so avoid a house that the neighbors can't keep an eye on.

Prescott has become the rehab capital of America. White vans going to and from houses in residential neighborhoods. Google it. We strongly considered Prescott but not now. But from what you wrote you'd like the Portland area. The city itself is now too expensive but there's vast surrounding areas.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by Kazoo2016

But from what you wrote you'd like the Portland area. The city itself is now too expensive but there's vast surrounding areas.

Agreed. There are affordable places in the suburbs for the OP's budget. There are also mountain views of Mt Hood if you go east of the city.

[hey_guy]

maybe winston salem but the no humidity and pollen thing kinda rules out the east coast imo

charlottesville?
greenville sc?