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After relocating here two years ago from FL " I can't wait to leave". Bad Choice!
My wife and I are very outgoing and active people in our early 50's and thought that this had all the right things going for it. It's on the coast, the weather is mild it's centrally located on the east coast it has nice beaches a reasonable cost of living and good medical facilities.
Well all that is very true however, what we found after living here is the crime rate is off the charts the people are very unwelcoming to outsiders there are very few good paying jobs, the traffic is aweful all the time, the quality of employes here in the service industry is dreadful and very incompetent.
If your young in your 20's or over 70 it may be more tolerable but for those of you in between those ages don't move here its all a farce. They're is nothing to do , these festivals are a joke, the people marketing them embellish greatly the size and the activities to squeeze every nickel out of anyone that will come. There are lots of resteraunts most are lousy. There is music and activities here for college kids and senior citizens but not for anyone else, it'a real small town in a pine forest on the side of a swamp. To get to the beach be ready to be there by 7:00 am or forget finding a space on the weekends and oh , the parking is 2.50 per hour!
I do have to say the police are great, the fire and EMS are really responsive and very professional the medical facilities and Doctors are very good. The colleges are good and for young college kids its a great place to go to school. If you like living amongst a group of nosey condescending wealthy new england retired people who drink a whole lot and flash their wealth then you will love it . Don't be fooled by this place its all "smoke and mirrors! "
After relocating here two years ago from FL " I can't wait to leave". Bad Choice!
My wife and I are very outgoing and active people in our early 50's and thought that this had all the right things going for it. It's on the coast, the weather is mild it's centrally located on the east coast it has nice beaches a reasonable cost of living and good medical facilities.
Well all that is very true however, what we found after living here is the crime rate is off the charts the people are very unwelcoming to outsiders there are very few good paying jobs, the traffic is aweful all the time, the quality of employes here in the service industry is dreadful and very incompetent.
If your young in your 20's or over 70 it may be more tolerable but for those of you in between those ages don't move here its all a farce. They're is nothing to do , these festivals are a joke, the people marketing them embellish greatly the size and the activities to squeeze every nickel out of anyone that will come. There are lots of resteraunts most are lousy. There is music and activities here for college kids and senior citizens but not for anyone else, it'a real small town in a pine forest on the side of a swamp. To get to the beach be ready to be there by 7:00 am or forget finding a space on the weekends and oh , the parking is 2.50 per hour!
I do have to say the police are great, the fire and EMS are really responsive and very professional the medical facilities and Doctors are very good. The colleges are good and for young college kids its a great place to go to school. If you like living amongst a group of nosey condescending wealthy new england retired people who drink a whole lot and flash their wealth then you will love it . Don't be fooled by this place its all "smoke and mirrors! "
Love to know where exactly you lived while you were in Wilmington. There are a lot of different types of neighborhoods.
And you said you were from Florida...where exactly did you live there? Florida is pretty big place, lots of different neighborhoods.
After relocating here two years ago from FL " I can't wait to leave". Bad Choice!
My wife and I are very outgoing and active people in our early 50's and thought that this had all the right things going for it. It's on the coast, the weather is mild it's centrally located on the east coast it has nice beaches a reasonable cost of living and good medical facilities.
Well all that is very true however, what we found after living here is the crime rate is off the charts the people are very unwelcoming to outsiders there are very few good paying jobs, the traffic is aweful all the time, the quality of employes here in the service industry is dreadful and very incompetent.
If your young in your 20's or over 70 it may be more tolerable but for those of you in between those ages don't move here its all a farce. They're is nothing to do , these festivals are a joke, the people marketing them embellish greatly the size and the activities to squeeze every nickel out of anyone that will come. There are lots of resteraunts most are lousy. There is music and activities here for college kids and senior citizens but not for anyone else, it'a real small town in a pine forest on the side of a swamp. To get to the beach be ready to be there by 7:00 am or forget finding a space on the weekends and oh , the parking is 2.50 per hour!
I do have to say the police are great, the fire and EMS are really responsive and very professional the medical facilities and Doctors are very good. The colleges are good and for young college kids its a great place to go to school. If you like living amongst a group of nosey condescending wealthy new england retired people who drink a whole lot and flash their wealth then you will love it . Don't be fooled by this place its all "smoke and mirrors! "
Interesting, friends of ours are looking at Wilmington and they had a not so great welcome home vibe when they went on an exploratory trip. Wilimington looks *GREAT* online - but we are also very active 50s and after hearing their stories and what you just wrote, we won't even stop on our way down the coast!
Where in Florida are you heading back to ? Thanks for the honest review. Much appreciated!
After relocating here two years ago from FL " I can't wait to leave". Bad Choice!
My wife and I are very outgoing and active people in our early 50's and thought that this had all the right things going for it. It's on the coast, the weather is mild it's centrally located on the east coast it has nice beaches a reasonable cost of living and good medical facilities.
Well all that is very true however, what we found after living here is the crime rate is off the charts the people are very unwelcoming to outsiders there are very few good paying jobs, the traffic is aweful all the time, the quality of employes here in the service industry is dreadful and very incompetent.
If your young in your 20's or over 70 it may be more tolerable but for those of you in between those ages don't move here its all a farce. They're is nothing to do , these festivals are a joke, the people marketing them embellish greatly the size and the activities to squeeze every nickel out of anyone that will come. There are lots of resteraunts most are lousy. There is music and activities here for college kids and senior citizens but not for anyone else, it'a real small town in a pine forest on the side of a swamp. To get to the beach be ready to be there by 7:00 am or forget finding a space on the weekends and oh , the parking is 2.50 per hour!
I do have to say the police are great, the fire and EMS are really responsive and very professional the medical facilities and Doctors are very good. The colleges are good and for young college kids its a great place to go to school. If you like living amongst a group of nosey condescending wealthy new england retired people who drink a whole lot and flash their wealth then you will love it . Don't be fooled by this place its all "smoke and mirrors! "
For the most part, this could be said for all of eastern NC. This region is dreadful unless you are over the age of 70.
Leaving4Ca "Interesting, friends of ours are looking at Wilmington and they had a not so great welcome home vibe when they went on an exploratory trip. Wilimington looks *GREAT* online - but we are also very active 50s and after hearing their stories and what you just wrote, we won't even stop on our way down the coast!"
I'm surprised to see so much negativity regarding Wilmington. There are PLENTY of neighborhoods, especially in the new construction areas, that cater primarily to active-50's homeowners. Perhaps some of the negative poster's here have moved into less friendly neighborhoods? You should check out Brunswick Forest, Compass Pointe, Waterford, Magnolia Greens, Hearthstone, etc. Most of these areas have at least clubhouses, pools, fitness center's, walking trails, etc so there should be great opportunities to meet and mingle with other "empty-nesters", many of which are from out of state.
As far as restaurants being lousy, I'm not sure what they're comparing to? Ruth's Chris type establishments? No, there aren't that many places that offer menu options over $40-$50 dollars a plate, but below that there are plenty of quality restaurants in the area. Jerry's, Portland Grille, Aubriana's, Caprese all pop into mind and there are many more places cheaper than these that have delicious food. The chef that owns Catch and several other restaurants here was featured on Bravo TV's Top Chef several years ago. Also, I forget the name of it, but there is a cooking competition locally during the spring and summer that features Wilmington's top chef's battling each other in front of a live audience, and you get to judge the food which seems pretty cool. Wilmington has more than 300 restaurants last I was told, so I've heard very FEW comments over my 11 years here about bad food, because it's so competitive, places just won't last if the food or service is bad. I know lot's of people here who are very into food culture that love the restaurant's Wilmington has to offer.
The beach gets crowded around 10 am on the weekend's and while nobody enjoy's paying 2.50 an hour for parking, most people just accept the hourly rate as part of their monthly entertainment budget. The other option is you go to another beach like Carolina Beach, Topsail Beach or Oak Island which are all popular alternatives for people who live in/near Wilmington that don't want to pay 2.50/hr for parking or deal with crowds. You can also buy/rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards and get exercise and go to remote areas if you don't like crowds. There are plenty of adventures to create for yourself like this, even without the expense of an actual boat.
The Parade of Homes will begin this Saturday at noon and runs Sat/Sun 4/26-4/27 and then the following weekend 5/3-5/4. Many of these neighborhoods that cater to primarily 50's+ couples will have homes featured and you should check it out for your self and make your own conclusions.
Leaving4Ca "Interesting, friends of ours are looking at Wilmington and they had a not so great welcome home vibe when they went on an exploratory trip. Wilimington looks *GREAT* online - but we are also very active 50s and after hearing their stories and what you just wrote, we won't even stop on our way down the coast!"
I'm surprised to see so much negativity regarding Wilmington. There are PLENTY of neighborhoods, especially in the new construction areas, that cater primarily to active-50's homeowners. Perhaps some of the negative poster's here have moved into less friendly neighborhoods? You should check out Brunswick Forest, Compass Pointe, Waterford, Magnolia Greens, Hearthstone, etc. Most of these areas have at least clubhouses, pools, fitness center's, walking trails, etc so there should be great opportunities to meet and mingle with other "empty-nesters", many of which are from out of state.
As far as restaurants being lousy, I'm not sure what they're comparing to? Ruth's Chris type establishments? No, there aren't that many places that offer menu options over $40-$50 dollars a plate, but below that there are plenty of quality restaurants in the area. Jerry's, Portland Grille, Aubriana's, Caprese all pop into mind and there are many more places cheaper than these that have delicious food. The chef that owns Catch and several other restaurants here was featured on Bravo TV's Top Chef several years ago. Also, I forget the name of it, but there is a cooking competition locally during the spring and summer that features Wilmington's top chef's battling each other in front of a live audience, and you get to judge the food which seems pretty cool. Wilmington has more than 300 restaurants last I was told, so I've heard very FEW comments over my 11 years here about bad food, because it's so competitive, places just won't last if the food or service is bad. I know lot's of people here who are very into food culture that love the restaurant's Wilmington has to offer.
The beach gets crowded around 10 am on the weekend's and while nobody enjoy's paying 2.50 an hour for parking, most people just accept the hourly rate as part of their monthly entertainment budget. The other option is you go to another beach like Carolina Beach, Topsail Beach or Oak Island which are all popular alternatives for people who live in/near Wilmington that don't want to pay 2.50/hr for parking or deal with crowds. You can also buy/rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards and get exercise and go to remote areas if you don't like crowds. There are plenty of adventures to create for yourself like this, even without the expense of an actual boat.
The Parade of Homes will begin this Saturday at noon and runs Sat/Sun 4/26-4/27 and then the following weekend 5/3-5/4. Many of these neighborhoods that cater to primarily 50's+ couples will have homes featured and you should check it out for your self and make your own conclusions.
You just need go sell your BS somewhere else LoveTheSea23! And stop trying to sell your real estate on City-data! Stop being tight and PAY to advertise, real estate agents are like cockroaches in ILM I swear!
What BS am I sellng? Do you have specific information that have I presented that is untrue? If you disagree with something I say, hopefully in the future it can be debated maturely. My previous post directly addressed a comment about someone who hates their neighborhood and all the reasons they don't recommend moving here because of it. I have lived here for 11 years and I don't like to see the area's reputation trashed, especially if I have a different opinion about it. I love this area and want other's to enjoy the area I call home and I will continue to talk about the area because I want to see this area grow. I believe it will enhance everyone's life in the region if there is a bigger tax base and there will be more entertainment options and businesses as the region grows. How would more high paying jobs in the area be a bad thing?
I have answered questions on this forum that have nothing to do with real estate in the faintest way. I'm also not a home builder nor have I ever "advertised" or talked about any property I had for sale in any of the neighborhoods I have EVER mentioned on this forum. When I talk about real estate on here, I mostly stick to talking about entire neighborhoods which I think will benefit the OP, and if I do mention a specific house, I mention it for the poster's benefit to research on their own, it's not a property I have any financial interest in. I apologize if that's the impression I have given off to anyone. I actually probably dislike sales people just as much as you do, but unfortunately, being an agent is the only way to help people with their real estate needs and wants (which is what I enjoy). If someone asked a question on this forum about IT or whatever you're passionate about, I'm sure you would want to chime in with your opinion too. That's where I'm coming from.
Yes, Wilmington is that bad! If you are a college kid or retiree it is the place for you! Anyone else, look somewhere else. This town is full of crime, unwelcoming people, "clicks" like high school, and very little to do. I suppose if you want to sit on am expensive beach all day and go to a festival that is filled with nothing, or maybe battle traffic, you would like it. The majority of people Believe they are sophisticated, what a joke. If you are an attractive single person, run, the gene pool is horrid!
What a huge disappointment it has been. I can't leave fast enough!
Yes, Wilmington is that bad! If you are a college kid or retiree it is the place for you! Anyone else, look somewhere else. This town is full of crime, unwelcoming people, "clicks" like high school, and very little to do. I suppose if you want to sit on am expensive beach all day and go to a festival that is filled with nothing, or maybe battle traffic, you would like it. The majority of people Believe they are sophisticated, what a joke. If you are an attractive single person, run, the gene pool is horrid!
What a huge disappointment it has been. I can't leave fast enough!
Where did you move from? Where did you live when you were down there?
I don't live there yet (moving in June) but I know a bunch of people who do and I have spent a lot of time down there. Full of crime is definitely not true. It has bad areas like any city on earth.
Sounds like you're not a beach town person which would obviously make Wilmington a bad choice for you.
(there is plenty more to do than sit on a beach all day).
Crime, read the paper daily? Yes, every city has crime but the ratio of crime to population is off the charts. I grew up on the beach, does that matter? Just wait for the winter months when Wilmington shuts down like its under several feet of snow and see what there is to do. Even the locals will tell you there is nothing to do from late October until April when their "big" Azalea Festival starts. Hope you already have lots of friends. Enjoy!
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