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It sounds like your decision is made for all intents and purposes. Do not fall into the same trap thousands have with the glamour and appeal of the beach. You get here...you go a few times and fight the crowds...parking fees...cigarette butts...seaweed...dog crap among other things on the beach and it loses its appeal fast. Combine this with a horrible job market...dangerous roads and high cost of living and you bail. Don't do it. Raleigh is better and you are still close enough to visit the beach at your leisure.
Oh, and must say in response to fortysixandtwo's post. I've been here 13 years and Wilmington has not lost it's appeal to me. I love living here and all of my friends who live in Raleigh love to visit and some would move here if they could find a job All of my friends and family who live here, love it.
Oh, and must say in response to fortysixandtwo's post. I've been here 13 years and Wilmington has not lost it's appeal to me. I love living here and all of my friends who live in Raleigh love to visit and some would move here if they could find a job All of my friends and family who live here, love it.
I second Oyster's comments! I moved here from the DC area several years ago and my wife and I absolutely love it here. For all the complaints about traffic, infrastructure, growth, etc, nothing compares to some of the other areas many of us have experienced.
Wilmington is a great place to live and we have found it very easy to network and meet many fine people. We recently moved down to Carolina Beach and are very happy with our decision. There is nothing like getting up early and going down a few blocks to jog on the beach.
Don't let anyone scare you off, come on down and have a look for yourself.
now wait a minute. I totally have to disagree with that last statement. traffic in wilmington is roughly the same as in DC. they planned excellent for the growth in the DC area. the problem is that people talk about the DC area as if it is a 500 mile radius. fairfax county had laws in place that a developer couldn't develop residential properties without having the proper roads. the traffic comes in when they stack 50,000 townhouses on top of one another in prince william and loudoun counties and leave the two lane roads. when I go back and see my parents in springfield, to me, there is no traffic. however, I do agree that people should definitely come down and take a look. wait until memorial day weekend. that is a good time to come down. make sure you drive on south college road at around say, noon!
Of course there will be differing opinions, everyone has their own "place" for their own reason. I will definitely have to visit and decide for myself. Thank you to everyone who has responded, I just enjoy seeing different points of view on things, and honesty! So Thanks!
Keep on posting if anyone wants to... my mind is far from decided.
You should check out the N. 4th Street area of downtown Wilmington. Known as the Brooklyn Arts District, it was the bustling retail area of downtown back in the early 1900's but then during the depression fell into disrepair. Recently this area has undergone quite a transformation with condos and lofts being built, retail shops opening and an influx of young people, artists and musicians moving in. You are close to all the things that make downtown an interesting and exciting place to live, but are not directly in the "funzone" so you don't hear the bars all night. The new convention center and city marina are being built there and it is home to the headquarters of a major pharmaceutical reserch co. Check it out.
that brooklyn arts district has a lot of work to do. there are some decent new condos there but the prices need to level off. there is potential for that area, just like there is potential for the castle street antique district!
I have lived in both Raleigh, Wilmington, and Greensboro, NC. While I haven't lived there in years, some people say Greensboro is "dying". Raleigh is a nice place, a much bigger city than Wilmington, and it is more spread out. There are alot of job in Raleigh, alot of big companies. The job situation in Wilmington is not great right now, the jobs are mainly tourist related, not many big companies. However, I have always been able to find a job in Wilmington, I think it just depends on what you want to do. Raleigh and Wilmington both have nightlife, I prefer Wilmington's bars/restaurants to Raleigh's. Wilmington has the charm and the small town appeal you seem to be after. As for the person who posted about the crowded beaches, bad roads, etc. that can be true, but it's a beach city with a large college population, so yes, the beaches can get crowded. But there are beach spots to go where it is not so crowded, try the north or south end of Wrightsville Beach, it's beautiful! As for the parking tickets and pet poop, In my experience most people clean up after their dog and the beaches are relatively clean, compared to others I've been too, and all you have to do is park where you are supposed to to avoid the tickets! The roads aren't great, and traffic can get really bad, especially in the summer, but it hasn't made me hate Wilmington yet! There are great local resturants here, and local shopping. I definitely think you can find a place for in the $800, there are some nice places here that might be a little more, but you would just have to check online or in an Apartment Finder book. Raleigh to me seems more spread out, and they also have terrible traffic and roads. There are places in both cities that are expensive, but I have found that Raleigh has much more expensive areas that Wilmington. You should come down here and see for yourself, maybe in the Spring when it is not so crowded, but the weather is still nice. HOpe this helps!
I've been lurking, reading, learning and today I thought I'd join. maybe I can add some insights, and I hope to ask some questions too.
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Originally Posted by jmarquise
.... wait until memorial day weekend. that is a good time to come down. make sure you drive on south college road at around say, noon!
That';s not nice to encourage this without putting "LOL" or a wink beside it! That poster might take you seriously, and then , oh brother! LOL! Take that advise if you want to see what a nightmare things can be!
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I will be teaching, so proximity to a school (with an opening of course) would be what I need in terms of a job.
What are some positives of living in both cities??
Teaching near Raleigh is Wake County Schools. They are the highest paying school district in the state, but like other major, large districts, they have their problems. There are many teaching opportunities. However, since they are so very high-rated, they get applicants from all of the country, and they can be choosy and teachers can be expendable for that reason. The beach is only about 2 1/2 hrs from the Raleigh area, so to live in the Raleigh area, you can have day trips to the beach often.
However, I now live in a suburb of Raleigh (Apex) and am considering a move to the beach! I've been reading this forum for days now, gathering information - just joined today. The suburbs of Raleigh are growing very fast! Apex is rated high on lists of places to live, but the prices are now soaring! Development is at lightning-speed. people moving into the area is expected to grow in a huge way for many years to come. We are in a very bad drought situation, and I think that's in part due to the water supply going to more and more people (though lack of rain has it's part too) Growing pains, I suppose. Cary is a nice place, also a small city at this point! This is all SW of Raleigh.
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Originally Posted by Oyster07
I would say Raleigh has more of a young professionals setting. Wilmington has it too, it's just smaller. In my opinion, people in Wilmington are more laid back than Raleigh.
I would agree about the age group and young professionals thing, and about the hustle-bustle of Raleigh. In my opinion, it sounds like Raleigh would fit your day-to-day life while being able to escape to the beach quite often. And perhaps after you're here, you will have a better idea if moving to the beach is good for you or not. I've born torn between the 2 areas myself, and I wish I could a have a place in both!
living in wilmington is much different than visiting wilmington! sorry about that memorial day comment. perhaps I should say, come down on the 4th of july. make sure you drive downtown for the fireworks. it's extremely easy to drive downtown on the 4th. here comes the smiley face!
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All of my friends and family who live here, love it.
