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Hi - We are relocating to Charlotte from Portland, OR and need some advice on neighborhoods. We have two young children, 3 years old and 5 months old. I have heard the traffic is very bad in Charlotte so looking for a good family friendly area that is centrally located and close to amenities like grocery stores and children's activities (sports, lessons, etc). My husband will be working out of Fort Mill and Mount Holly. I don't have a job yet but am guessing that I would end up in Uptown.
We looked at the Steele Creek area but with all of the traffic on Shopton road his commute would be as long as if we lived in Fort Mill, so we ruled that area out. Any thoughts on South Charlotte vs. Fort Mill? I have heard that South Charlotte is so congested it can take an hour to get to Uptown!
Myers Park would be the ideal location, but we are priced out of that area (willing to spend up to $650K on a house). We want a four bedroom home since my parents will be spending a lot of time with us.
Also, any tips for making friends with other families in Charlotte? We will really be missing our support system on the west coast!
Have you visited? I would recommend driving through these areas and checking them out to determine what fits your criteria best. I live in South Charlotte, but Fort Mill is nice too. I preferred established neighborhoods and like the proximity of my neighborhood to the shopping, dining, groceries, etc... that I enjoy in South Charlotte. Fort Mill has many brand new neighborhoods and its own school system. It isn't my taste, but many people love it and it is very family friendly.
People make friends at church, in their neighborhood, at country clubs, swim clubs, volunteering events, meet-up groups, sports groups, little league/AYSO/etc..., through their kids schools / daycare, etc....
If you haven't visited, I strongly recommend renting a single family home for a year before buying. All the various areas are vastly different and it'll give you a better feel for the areas...and also let you know exactly where you'd be working and what your commute would be like.
In terms of meeting people, living in an established neighborhood is one easy way (vs being on a main road). You'll also meet plenty of parents through your children's school & activities.
You shouldn't be priced out of the Myers Park area...or perhaps at least not out of the South Park area...which all runs together. Look up homes in both Myers Park HS and South Meck HS...and just keep an eye on the elementary schools as there are both higher and less-rated elementaries that roll into those HS's. Look at the neighborhoods up and down Rea Rd, Park Rd, and Carmel Rd on the Charlotte side. Some random MLS examples I just pulled off redfin in the include 3387157, 3365829, 3385078 and 3374253
There's nothing wrong with Fort Mill, though my only hesitation for you is whether you want to have the longest commute vs. your husband.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Originally Posted by kayshaf
Hi - We are relocating to Charlotte from Portland, OR and need some advice on neighborhoods. We have two young children, 3 years old and 5 months old. I have heard the traffic is very bad in Charlotte so looking for a good family friendly area that is centrally located and close to amenities like grocery stores and children's activities (sports, lessons, etc). My husband will be working out of Fort Mill and Mount Holly. I don't have a job yet but am guessing that I would end up in Uptown.
We looked at the Steele Creek area but with all of the traffic on Shopton road his commute would be as long as if we lived in Fort Mill, so we ruled that area out. Any thoughts on South Charlotte vs. Fort Mill? I have heard that South Charlotte is so congested it can take an hour to get to Uptown!
Myers Park would be the ideal location, but we are priced out of that area (willing to spend up to $650K on a house). We want a four bedroom home since my parents will be spending a lot of time with us.
Also, any tips for making friends with other families in Charlotte? We will really be missing our support system on the west coast!
Thanks for your help!
Belmont is between Mount Holly & Fort Mill. There's some upscale housing being built there. There is also some upscale housing in Cramerton.
I would recommend you stay inside of Highway #51 in south Charlotte. Some neighborhoods to check out would be Mountainbrook, Beverly Woods East, Fairmeadows, Montibello. Those neighborhoods have great schools and some have neighborhood swim clubs. You might find something in Myers Park or Dilworth that would fit your needs in the $650 range. It would not take you an hour to get downtown (I am a native and I still call it downtown) from any of those areas and your husband would be commuting against traffic.
Just one note, taxes are significantly lower in South Carolina along with gas prices, etc. And, Ft. Mill is close to Charlotte. Pineville isn't far from Fort Mill and one can catch the light rail from Pineville station into uptown Charlotte. It would be a 25 minute on rail and a 10 minute drive to the station in Pineville. Just something to think about. They also say the schools are good in Ft. Mill. But, I love south Charlotte. I opted for North Carolina because I have pensions that are tax exempt in N.C. Good luck. At least you will have tons of options. Hopefully you will be able to check things out thoroughly.
If you haven't visited, I strongly recommend renting a single family home for a year before buying. All the various areas are vastly different and it'll give you a better feel for the areas...and also let you know exactly where you'd be working and what your commute would be like.
In terms of meeting people, living in an established neighborhood is one easy way (vs being on a main road). You'll also meet plenty of parents through your children's school & activities.
You shouldn't be priced out of the Myers Park area...or perhaps at least not out of the South Park area...which all runs together. Look up homes in both Myers Park HS and South Meck HS...and just keep an eye on the elementary schools as there are both higher and less-rated elementaries that roll into those HS's. Look at the neighborhoods up and down Rea Rd, Park Rd, and Carmel Rd on the Charlotte side. Some random MLS examples I just pulled off redfin in the include 3387157, 3365829, 3385078 and 3374253
There's nothing wrong with Fort Mill, though my only hesitation for you is whether you want to have the longest commute vs. your husband.
100% this.
Rea, Park & Carmel roads.
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