Young professionals, where to live? Concord vs. Kannapolis (Charlotte, Salisbury: rentals, condos)
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My husband got a job in Salisbury, NC and is currently renting there. I plan to join him and work in Charlotte later this year. We are in our late 20's and want to have children in a few years. Living between Charlotte and Salisbury would make it easier for both our commutes.
Which is better, Concord or Kannapolis to buy or build a house? Open to other suggestions as well. Our home price range is anywhere between 200-300k depending on if we buy or build.
We like the burbs, but want easy access to lots of shopping, restaurants, bars/pubs and sporting events. An area with a mix of young professionals and families would be nice. Salisbury seems to be mostly older families or empty-nesters. We don't know anyone in the area, so we want to live where we can make friends similar in age. We also have a small rescue dog and love to take him on walks. Communities that have sidewalks or are pedestrian friendly score extra points with us.
Schools matter more for resale value at the moment as kids are 5 years or so off.
Thank you for your help and we are very excited to live in NC!
Rent for a year and use that time to scope out neighborhoods you are interested in.
If we had done that, we probably would have ended up in a different neighborhood than we're currently in. We like where we're at, and have met wonderful friends, so it worked out - but it might not have.
My husband got a job in Salisbury, NC and is currently renting there. I plan to join him and work in Charlotte later this year. We are in our late 20's and want to have children in a few years. Living between Charlotte and Salisbury would make it easier for both our commutes.
Which is better, Concord or Kannapolis to buy or build a house? Open to other suggestions as well. Our home price range is anywhere between 200-300k depending on if we buy or build.
We like the burbs, but want easy access to lots of shopping, restaurants, bars/pubs and sporting events. An area with a mix of young professionals and families would be nice. Salisbury seems to be mostly older families or empty-nesters. We don't know anyone in the area, so we want to live where we can make friends similar in age. We also have a small rescue dog and love to take him on walks. Communities that have sidewalks or are pedestrian friendly score extra points with us.
Schools matter more for resale value at the moment as kids are 5 years or so off.
Thank you for your help and we are very excited to live in NC!
I would suggest living nearest to I85 in either town for the best commutes
I really like exit 54.
Check out Kellswater Bridge - nice new subdivision with beautiful homes and very convenient to a Super Target and other retail. (It's on the left on of the interstate on the Kannapolis side off of Kannapolis Parkway.)
Or go right at the bottom of the ramp at exit 54 and check out Mountain Laurel or Laurel Park on the Concord side.
Your talking about the part of the county where we live. The shopping is limited - Super Target, Steinmart, and Marshall's are about it for places really close. If there is a young professional segment, they are really well hidden, or I'm just so intrenched in my "families with kids" mode I just don't see it. Are there bars here where people hang out? If so, I've never heard (or been invited ). Concord Mills is a bit down the road with more retail and restaturant options. Just learn the back roads to get there.
When my DH and I were in our twenties, we would have been bored to tears living here. Now we have kids and are older, we think its heaven.
I like exit 54 as well...there is also Afton Village (not to be confused with the shopping center Afton Ridge) that has single family homes, townhomes and condos as well as restaurants, small shops, medical, dental, cleaners, next to James L. Dorton park, YMCA, etc. http://www.aftonvillage.com/
That may be a good fit for you and its in your budget...also there are some rentals in there should you decide to wait on purchasing or building.
Another suggestion is Christenbury Mews and Christenbury Chase (across the street from each other). This is at exit 49 which is the Concord Mills Mall exit...lots of restaurants and shopping in this area and in a desirable school zone.
Hope this helps!
msm_teacher....I agree, there are not many bars but Afton Village does have Joe's Sports bar and The Wine Room...I too am in family with kids mode so I don't frequent these places and I wouldn't have know of them but my daughters dance school is in Afton Village so I drive by them weekly! I guess there are a few by Concord Mills too....I just don't get out much these days! LOL!
You might also want to think about Mooresville - it's only 35 to 40 minutes to Salisbury or Charlotte. It's near the lake, has good schools, shopping and restaurants. Lots of young families in the area.
I would agree with Loves about exit 54. We live not to far from the exit and our neighborhood is full of people from singles to married to married with kids to older folks. There is also Birkdale village that isn't far (maybe 20 minutes or so). It's a big hangout for the 20/30 somethings. It has a wine bar and a good sushi place too. It also has a Fox in the Hound (which gets pretty crowded on the weekends in the bar area).
There is also a group of young professionals in one of the neighborhoods around. Alot of them are just starting to have kids but some of them still don't. They get together once a month for dinners, nights out etc...
msm_teacher....I agree, there are not many bars but Afton Village does have Joe's Sports bar and The Wine Room...I too am in family with kids mode so I don't frequent these places and I wouldn't have know of them but my daughters dance school is in Afton Village so I drive by them weekly! I guess there are a few by Concord Mills too....I just don't get out much these days! LOL!
That's so funny! We're in that center almost daily and I never noticed the bars. We love that greek restaurant for lunch.
To the OP, it really comes down to how far you want to travel for fun verses travel for work. As far as the rescue dog, it seems to be a requirement to have a dog to move here. In fact, that's how we got to know most of our neighbors - walking the dogs.
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). Concord Mills is a bit down the road with more retail and restaturant options. Just learn the back roads to get there.
