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We are currently renting a home for a week in Denver, on Lake Norman. The area is just beautiful. We have gotten several recommendations for areas to research for a possible move. Charlotte area and Winston Salem area are the two main ones we are researching. But we are wondering if Asheville area is another we should consider.
We want to buy land and build a home ideally. We don't want to be far from things, but just far enough to own some land and need to be near enough to some areas to develop our second landscaping business (the other will remain in NJ).
Today we will visit Hickory and Gastonia areas.
This area is really beautiful. I come from a very pretty area of NJ and didn't expect to love it this much, even with the clouds and light rain instead of sunshine I was looking forward to !
Asheville is a bit more isolated from the "big city life". You won't get a lot of professional sports, big shows, etc. out there. But it is a bustling community with a vibrant downtown. Given the choice, I'd prefer Asheville to Winston though. It's in the mountains and "prettier" if you will. Winston-Salem would be closer to two major cities though (Raleigh & CLT) and a shorter trip up to the NE if you plan on hitting NJ routinely.
Gastonia is still fairly rundown, though a lot of people think it'll be the next to get turned around due to proximity to the city.
I can't speak to where is the best place for lucrative landscaping.
Hi...I'm the OP>. Are you saying Asheville is a place we should consider only if we are retired or work from home? I just wasn't clear on that. Thanks
Asheville could be a nice option. There's some nice places there and some "money" there which are the ones that typically spend the most on landscaping. will be far less professional jobs.
Asheville is a crunchy, artistic town with lots of breweries. It's a popular place to go in the fall to see the leaves change. It's also a popular place for people to go and see snow in the winter. What will you do in the winter? Snowplowing?
Asheville would be a fantastic place to live, there is a lot of wonderful culture present that is about on par with Charleston. The biggest complaint I've heard from people that live around Charlotte or Charlotte suburbs is the complete lack of culture. Very few notable restaurants, and if there are, it's only upscale. Everyone is driving like they have to get somewhere ASAP and the "southern-charm" that we are supposedly famous for is only a facade to improve customer service.
With Asheville, you have more than enough parks and outdoor recreational activities to take part in. There are loads of options with bars and restaurants, and the best part is that you don't have to drive everywhere to get to them. It makes for a cleaner city. Having said that, there is a bit of a homeless problem there but I've never had an issue with them that directly affected me.
I have a friend who moved there from Florida and works at brewery, absolutely no complaints from her even with the cold weather.
Sadly, I think the OP is on his own, especially if he(?) and his family are white. Not hard to see what’s coming to America. Charlotte is dominated by a liberal element primarily from the NE US, who openly embrace ‘diversity enrichment’ and ‘undocumented travelers’(?).
A well known doc, his family and two HVAC repairmen who were at the home were murdered in recent months just across the state line in York County. The perp allegedly shot himself at his parents’ home just up the street several hours later. The local press gave the perp equal billing as an ‘equal victim’ - the latest ‘social trend’.
There are no ‘good places’ left - you are on your own - I know from lengthy experience.
Sadly, I think the OP is on his own, especially if he(?) and his family are white. Not hard to see what’s coming to America. Charlotte is dominated by a liberal element primarily from the NE US, who openly embrace ‘diversity enrichment’ and ‘undocumented travelers’(?).
A well known doc, his family and two HVAC repairmen who were at the home were murdered in recent months just across the state line in York County. The perp allegedly shot himself at his parents’ home just up the street several hours later. The local press gave the perp equal billing as an ‘equal victim’ - the latest ‘social trend’.
There are no ‘good places’ left - you are on your own - I know from lengthy experience.
In that case, the doctor was treating the guy that shot him. They were friends and knew each other. I thought the families knew each other. I was under the impression the guy had some mental issues.
That really depends on your work situation. If working from home or retired, not so much.
Hickory and especially Gastonia aren't very desirable areas.
A lot of people are moving to Hickory from out of state. You have lakes, proximity to both the mountains and major cities, and slightly more affordable housing. Downtown Hickory has made a lot of recent improvements, including a new City Walk and River Walk.
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