Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm from east TN and have spent a lot of time in Asheville recreationally over the past fifteen years. My girlfriend lives in a rural area about 15-20 minutes outside of downtown. She hates the city life. I like it. I can have my nice dinner downtown, go to a show at the Orange Peel, and be back in bed within a half hour of getting into my car. She has a few acres with a manufactured home (permanent foundation and basement - it is not a trailer) nearly equidistant between Weaverville and Marshall in Madison County.
Asheville itself is basically bifurcated with a small business owner and (much smaller) professional white collar upper class and a much, much larger, service-driven underclass. Locals, living on local wages, for the most part, are priced out of the city limits into surrounding areas or even surrounding areas outside of Buncombe County. Even then, it is not as cheap as one would think.
Asheville has been one of (if not, THE) the most expensive housing markets in NC for the better part of a decade. Its housing market is as expensive as the best parts of Raleigh, with a fraction of the jobs or overall prosperity.
I'll be honest. Even with all its issues, Asheville is still one of my most favorite places in the country. Within the last few months, I accepted a six figure offer in a tech role for a STEM firm with an Asheville area plant. I like both Greenville and Asheville. Greenville has better retail, a better downtown, and better winter weather. Dining is actually a coin flip, with maybe an edge to Greenville. Greenville has more and better minor league sports. Clemson is nearby. Asheville has a bit of scenery and summer weather edge. Greenville is more economical. I could get new construction in metro Greenville, for a townhome, for what I'd pay for a 2BR-3BR, <1800 sq. ft, needing updates, in AVL. I can stay at my girlfriend's any time I need to go to an AVL event.
It's really deciding on what is most important to you. With kids, I'd rather live in Simpsonville or Greer, but plenty of people make metro AVL work, but I think you would need to be more involved in your kids' education.
With that said, you might want to look out to Lake Keowee or Lake Jocassee. Better recreation, and if you can work remotely, why not? Lake property is still going to be cheaper than prime mountain property.
A wild card option would Johnson City, TN, north of Asheville, over the mountains. I'm from that area, but JC schools are excellent. Your budget would go much farther than AVL, maybe a bit more than GVL. No state income tax and more favorable tax treatment. JC is more along the lines of a little Greenville, but the south side of town is more liberal and crunchy like AVL.
The only thing I can think of that Greenville has over Asheville is cheaper real estate and there’s a reason for this..
I'm not a fan of Greenville either. Too conservative for me. I was refused service for take out pizza because I was wearing a mask last fall. Everybody looked at us like we had two heads too walking around with a mask on. I really wanted to like it because I had read so much about it, but I was like no thanks after that experience. I like Asheville way better.
I'm not a fan of Greenville either. Too conservative for me. I was refused service for take out pizza because I was wearing a mask last fall. Everybody looked at us like we had two heads too walking around with a mask on. I really wanted to like it because I had read so much about it, but I was like no thanks after that experience. I like Asheville way better.
Completely agree with your sentiment. Really had wanted to like Greenville, had heard so many positive comments - other than a cute downtown, it really could be anywhere. When we first moved to Hendersonville, I thought we might make some trips periodically down the mountain to Greenville for medical, shopping, etc… But, we very rarely go there. I’ve noticed that people from this area almost never go that way…
I'm not a fan of Greenville either. Too conservative for me. I was refused service for take out pizza because I was wearing a mask last fall. Everybody looked at us like we had two heads too walking around with a mask on. I really wanted to like it because I had read so much about it, but I was like no thanks after that experience. I like Asheville way better.
I'll take things that didn't happen for $500 Alex.
It definitely did happen. It was the Blaze pizza in downtown. Thirty-something server pretended like she couldn’t hear us although other people could hear us just fine. A younger server took our order. First one was really pissy and rude. It was very obvious what was going on. A man who was working (got the vibe he was the manager) tried to make it up probably in hopes we wouldn’t write a bad review.
It definitely did happen. It was the Blaze pizza in downtown. Thirty-something server pretended like she couldn’t hear us although other people could hear us just fine. A younger server took our order. First one was really pissy and rude. It was very obvious what was going on. A man who was working (got the vibe he was the manager) tried to make it up probably in hopes we wouldn’t write a bad review.
LMAO!!!! Whoa now, just wait a minnit here.... You said you were refused service, did you not?
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog
I'm not a fan of Greenville either. Too conservative for me. I was refused service for take out pizza because I was wearing a mask last fall. Everybody looked at us like we had two heads too walking around with a mask on. I really wanted to like it because I had read so much about it, but I was like no thanks after that experience. I like Asheville way better.
So which is it... Were you refused service, or did they take your order??
Lol like I said, I'll take things that didn't happen for $500 Alex lol.
Quote:
It was very obvious what was going on.
Obvious what was going on... Yet at no point in this horrific, tramatauzing ordeal in the evil conservative city did anybody say "We refuse to serve you because you have a mask on."
Isn't that right.
Last edited by Upstate67; 05-14-2022 at 07:44 AM..
The only thing I can think of that Greenville has over Asheville is cheaper real estate and there’s a reason for this..
They're largely catering to different clienteles.
I like and appreciate both. My girlfriend is basically equidistant between Weaverville and Marshall. I can be in north Asheville/Woodfin in 15-20 minutes and downtown in 20-30, depending on traffic.
Personally, I find that most of the housing stick around Greenville to be newer, cheaper, and more modern. The shopping is largely better in Greenville (Costco, a bit more variety and upscale stores). The dining scene is a toss-up. IMO, Asheville has a better nightlife and summer climate. Greenville has a better winter climate.
Greenville is conservative, but it's far more open-minded than where I live in east TN. There's more going on there. Asheville city is very liberal.
It really depends on what you are looking for.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
