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i never migrated. and to answer your question about belt-loops on the coast: charleston has a great one. just look at the city's infrastructure. charleston is the better wilmington. and it's beautiful. you should look it that area. and it's economy isn't based on tourism.
I've learned that the biggest difference between Wilmington and Charleston is state involvement.
The citizens and gov't of SC really care about Charleston, and invest heavily in its well-being, even if they don't live there. That is where all that infrastructure came from: a medical school, a law school, a major university, 5 or 6 high-capacity freeway bridges, an interstate loop, a naval complex, a ton of historical buildings downtown, and a $700 million 8-lane bridge that can withstand 300mph winds - et cetera.
Wilmington has all the potential of Charleston, if not more - but it seems to have always been treated like a redheaded stepchild by the state of NC, and that has made all the difference IMO. No funding for an freeway loop, no interstate until about 1990, rickety little drawbridges, routing port traffic through the historic district, allowing pig farmers to ruin the Cape Fear River, no medical or law schools, no flagship university, a 2-lane road connecting to Charlotte - et cetera.
we owe our problems to our great mayor bill saffo. he won the last election with like 2000 votes which is pathetic. he is a horrible mayor and a real estate developer. wilmington does have all kinds of problems, and I plan on leaving as soon as I can avoid paying a capital gains on my house. it's ok, but like I said before, it was much better 10 years ago. there is a lot of animosity between the transplants, especially the ny/nj/bos crowd, and the locals. some of my favorite local bumper stickers I have seen. "welcome to wrightsville beach, now leave." and "isn't wilmington beautiful, imagine how nice it was before you moved here."
we owe our problems to our great mayor bill saffo. he won the last election with like 2000 votes which is pathetic. he is a horrible mayor and a real estate developer. wilmington does have all kinds of problems, and I plan on leaving as soon as I can avoid paying a capital gains on my house. it's ok, but like I said before, it was much better 10 years ago. there is a lot of animosity between the transplants, especially the ny/nj/bos crowd, and the locals. some of my favorite local bumper stickers I have seen. "welcome to wrightsville beach, now leave." and "isn't wilmington beautiful, imagine how nice it was before you moved here."
For crying out loud, get over it already. Wilmington, like most areas in the US, is experiencing population growth. And in case you forgot this from Civics class, in the United States one is free to move wherever they please.
Overall, by 2050 the U.S. population is projected to increase by 47 percent, from 296 million in 2005 to 438 million.
ok beachliving. I expect a little more from someone from NOVA. I wrote that I plan on selling my house and moving as soon as can avoid paying a capital gains. so I am not just complaining and not doing anything about it. this area is experiencing an unusual amount of growth and the town has poor management that does not know how to deal with it. that was the point that I tried to, and succeeded in making. I noted two novelty bumper stickers. I moved here for the second time from the fastest growing area in the united states, and I know that the mismanagement of city planning can equal up to a disaster area. so please, next time before you make an attempt to be rude, at least read what I wrote and note that it was a knock on local politics and city planning. and if you don't think that there is animosity between the locals and the transplants, you really need to get out more.
My apologies JM for reading you wrong. I had lumped you into the small group of folks that post here who are constantly bemoaning the fact that 'Northerners' are moving into 'Their' town. The argument is nonsense and it is not the prevailing thought with most folks in this area. What locals don't like is anyone who is rude, obnoxious or inconsiderate. But those type of folks can come from all walks of life and from all areas...including native Wilmingtonians.
As for an us vs. them attitude, I just don't see it. There may be a few folks who walk around with that self imposed burden but I never seem to have any reason to associate with them.
Good luck with your move...and even better luck to you if you have to list your current house.
Last edited by BeachLiving; 02-14-2008 at 08:35 AM..
no need to apologize. I am much like you, I grew up in fairfax county va. went to school here 10 years ago, and moved back a little over 2 years ago. most folks in this area are not from this area. I probably see a little more of it living in the city of wilmington than you do at carolina beach. I agree with the rude thing. people who move to carolina beach are usually doing so to retire and relax so they are laid back. but wilmington, is trying to be a working town and trying to attract professionals. so with that you get a lot of the rude drivers and such. I am all for taking on the culture down here, not trying to turn it into what I moved away from. when in rome! you are correct when you say that rude people come from all walks of life. I have moved all around and found jerks everywhere. I can also understand a little bitterness from locals who see a changing landscape. I remember when they had working farms inside the 495 beltway if you can believe that!
that being said, my complaints aren't about people moving here. it's just a matter of preparing for it. I saw mayfaire go up in a week but it took 3 years to expand military cuttoff. little things like that are what bugs me. thanks for well wishes on selling my house. probably won't be for another year, but fortunately, I have some confidence that this market is stable. prices aren't going up, but they aren't really going down so I should be in good shape.
Well thanks for the message but I dont want to move to Wilmington been there thought it wasnt that nice I like soutport if you had read my message you would of seen that I had given a population requirement that with stands Wilmington in a second, maybe you should leave the city if you dont like it so much JOHN, and it actually isnt that bad try moving to the connecticut coast then you will see what its like for multimillionars to run the beaches and the traffic to be at a stand still.
backjeep, you might also consider new bern, beaufort, morehead city, or someplace else on the crystal coast. brunswick county doesn't really have any of those quaint towns outside of southport.
I too moved here from New England, Wellesley, MA to be exact. I had been visiting Wilmington for some time before relocating here because of family and friends in the town. I love it and my family loves it. Very different lifestyle for sure and the weather can't be beat.
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you are correct when you say that rude people come from all walks of life. I have moved all around and found jerks everywhere. I can also understand a little bitterness from locals who see a changing landscape. I remember when they had working farms inside the 495 beltway if you can believe that! 
coming from New England
