Boone, Banner Elk (Asheville, Waynesville, Weaverville: real estate, houses, job market)

[Go88]

I am sure everyone is tired of hearing about us Floridians wanting to move north, but I am going to tell you anyways! Originally from Pennsylvania, have lived in Florida for the past 25 years. I am married now with a 2 boys, 10 and 6. We are ready to get out of Fl. We have vacationed in the Boone area for years as our friends own a cabin in the area. I am concerned about employment in the area, I work for a Ford/Lincoln dealer as a tech, I have worked at the same dealer for the past 21 years and I am certified in most areas. My wife has worked for the Sheriffs dept here as an evidence technician. Our main reason for leaving this area is to find better schools and a better enviorment for our children, we could get by with less income. We love the outdoors and the change of seasons. Any information would be helpful. Also our neice will be attending college in nearby Johnson City.

[ylisa7]

First off make sure you have jobs before you move. The Boone and Banner Elk areas are tough to find good paying jobs. And you will need good paying jobs because both those towns are very, very expensive for real estate. Have you looked at the TN side? Lower taxes and possibly more jobs if you are in the tri-cities area.

[Go88]

Thanks for the reply, we have not visited the Tennessee side. We will take your advice and look around , we will be visiting on vacation soon. Our neice starts college in Johnson City next year so we will be in that area. Any suggestions on where to look on th TN side? Number 1 priority would be the schools, we also want to be in the mountains and would like to see some snow every year!! We are tired of the rat race here in Florida.

[gigimac]

I agree with the above poster about looking into your job situations before jumping into Boone, which is really a "small town" type area, aside from the Appalachian State University bunch, as well as a healthy retirement region and winter home place.

Living for families in the higher altitudes in the mountains is totally different from the flat lands you're used to now. The layout of neighborhoods depends on how houses can be built around the side of a hill, up and down and around. There are other small towns at somewhat lower elevations that you may want to consider, like Waynesville, which is about 45 minutes from Asheville. It has a small-town ambiance, a little less expensive than Boone and Asheville, and a little bigger than Boone, a little less hilly.

Just in general look at all the towns in WNC...some choices might make it longer to visit your neice in Johnson City TN, but anyhow, it's the jobs and style of living that will make you happy. I personally loved it up in Banner Elk, close to skiing, amazing winters, views, plus I liked visiting Boone quite a bit...but as a long-term thing, I just don't know. I'm in Asheville now, it's getting busier all the time and home prices are very high, job market low, so that's why I say look at towns in between size of Boone and Asheville, and you might like it better.

I think when you visit Boone, you'll understand more of what I'm saying, so be sure to have a list of alternate towns to go to, which will require some extra driving and a few overnights, but will be well-worth it if you find the right spot. And also keep a close eye via computer on the jobs you want in Boone, the housing prices, see what you're up against. But could be you'll get lucky with Boone and everything will absolutely fall into place, and I think if that happens, there is no doubt in my mind that you will love living up there.

[Go88]

Thank you for the reply, as stated in my original post, we have spent alot of time over the past ten years in Boone and Banner Elk as our friends own a cabin in Seven devils area. We love the area and have had the chance to meet alot of nice people. I have researched property in the area, although we dont want to live on the side of a mountain, we would be content in the area. Oir concerns are with the school and being able to find work. We will be in the area for another week in March and we will be putting oit some resumes, Thanks for all your help!!

[fmors]

You may want to check out Weaverville just north of Asheville. The North Buncombe schools are very good. It is 15 minutes north of Asheville and about 45 minutes south of Johnson City, TN.

[Go88]

Thanks for the advice, we will check out weaverville when we are up in March. That may work out as I have a lead on a job in Asheville, but we dont want to live there.

[gigimac]

Dear Go,
I reckon I didn't read your email carefully enough, about how you've stayed up in Boone a lot...thought it was just one visit. Soooo, you already know how Boone works. Hmmmm. And it's true what the other poster said about Weaverville being close to Johnson City, on account of it's on a road that has a straight shot up to it. But Weaverville is really almost too close to Asheville and kinda flat. Not to criticize it or anything, becuz I live in Asheville and I know the place and go there for certain things.

Waynesville (I don't know why I'm pushing that) is far enough from Asheville to be "another place," and yet close enuff to drive to that job in Asheville. It also has mountains all AROUND it, where you can see them real good from downtown. You can get to Johnson City via Asheville then up that road next to Weaverville, or you can go east to TN via 40 and then up the main road in TN going north into Johnson City. Still, Waynesville is 45 minutes to Asheville, a little bit of a drive...I used to make it once a week when I worked in Waynesville and it didn't bother me, but I only had to drive it once a week.

Boone has some car dealerships and also a Sheriff's Department, you all's needs for work. It's possible ASU (Appalachian State) might have positions you two could fill, with your expertise in your fields, and only perhaps a teaching certificate would stand in the way...just a thought. So, you could go to their website and check out employment there, becuz it's a real big school. Another thing, I had a relative who was a mechanic, and he worked on the Fire Department's trucks in the town he lived in, it was all he did for a while, so could be you can use your mechanical skills with the Fire Department and EMS groups in Boone, so look at that.

I wish I knew more about Boone's elementary and middle schools, but I can tell you this, with all those professors working at ASU, they've GOT to have good schools for their kids. I hope you guys can get jobs in or near Boone, that would be the big part, so you can enjoy living in that beautiful area. But I still think Waynesville might work, too, it does have a bit of mountain life to it, and should have more work opportunities. I wish I could think of a closer town to Boone than that one, that would also have good work and housing options. But I can't. I mean, there's Burnsville, sort of halfway between Boone and Asheville, but it's no diff than Boone in size and opportunity, and lacks the ambience.

Well, anyhow, I just wanted to let you know I hear you about you already knowing how things are in Boone and Banner Elk, so sorry I gave you a lot of info you didn't need to hear. But hopefully I've added a few more things in this post about what your needs are. I'll leave you alone now!
GG

[Go88]

Thanks for all the info, it is all greatly appreciated! Will look into Waynesville also. Trying to get an idea of a few different places to visit in March.