Moving South-VA beach vs NC (rent, crime, hotel)

[movingsouth]

Can anyone compare VA Beach to Charlotte or Raleigh?
My husband and I are looking to get settled and want to get out of the "rat race". Although we love NY its not going to work out for us to settle here.

[CharlotteAgent]

Well you may feel at home in Charlotte there is alot of people that have done what your looking to do.

[just_sayin']

This is the NY forum.....try posting this question in the NC and VA forums. The rat race is definitely alive in NC too by the way; I don't know why so many people think it isn't.

[winnie]

The rat race is not all over NY..

Have you considered any other areas of NY?

I have not heard many positive things about either area you mention. SIL lives in VA beach, cousin in law just came back from NC to NY.

Where do you live right now???

[movingsouth]

I know that the rat race is not all over NY and have lived upstate and liked it but my husband wants warmer weather. We are near NYC now and even though I only live 30 miles away from my job it takes 11/2 hour to get to work. I thought other NY'ers would be able to give me some perspective on other areas they have visited or lived and liked outside of this area with a better quality of life and a more moderate climate.

[Time2Moov]

Originally Posted by movingsouth

I know that the rat race is not all over NY and have lived upstate and liked it but my husband wants warmer weather. We are near NYC now and even though I only live 30 miles away from my job it takes 11/2 hour to get to work. I thought other NY'ers would be able to give me some perspective on other areas they have visited or lived and liked outside of this area with a better quality of life and a more moderate climate.

I travel to Atlanta quite a bit. I've been to all the states on the east coast, and about 25 miles south of Atlanta seems like a nice place to me, Fayetteville. I wouldnt want to actually live there, but if heat and a slower pace of living is what you're looking for, that may be a good spot. Keep in mind though, Atlanta has some of the worst traffic in the world. If you are worried about commuting into the big city, forget it. I don't really know the area THAT well, but whenever I'm bored at the hotel in the evening I try to go on a little driving expedition. I've seen some REALLY bad areas around Atlanta, but Fayetteville seems pretty nice to me.

My advice is take a two week road trip. Pick out 5 or so prospective spots, and spend 2 days at each one. If you find a spot you like, go back and get a Staybridge or Embassy suite for 2 more weeks and do some recon. Its worth the money when you consider what it costs to move twice.

[winnie]

Well, I grew up in Orange county, my dad commutes 1.5 hours to NYC daily so i do feel for you.

Other areas I have been to and liked were Dover DE which has a nice laid back attitude, a little warmer weather and much cheaper cost of living. I like just about all of southern NM, but that is a heck of a move for a NYer LOL!

What I have heard negative about VA beach, from my SIL who currently lives there (and I have visited a few times myself) is the traffic, the crime and the overall mentality of the majority of the people there. She grew up for quite a bit of her life in Orange as well so I think it is a cultural issue.

NC my cousin in law lived there 4 years and absolutely hated it. Both for educational level of a lot of the people there and the fact that it was just way to slow there for her. She also grew up here in Orange.

Have you ever been to Vegas? Not for the casinos but to just visit? There are a few nice towns in that general area and the weather is pretty nice. Might want to go over on the NV forum to get some more opinions. Being a military wife, I have been there a few times and a lot of our dear friends lived in Vegas for a few years at a time. There is more to the city than the strip. I actually found an awesome Italian deli there.

I can really feel for you about the weather. Sometimes I feel like I can't take another winter here! But make sure that wherever you move remember that there are few places that offer as much as Southern NY do. There really is a high quality of life here that you don't get in too many areas.

Did you know that some areas of CT are a couple of climate zones warmer than downstate NY?? DE is a few warmer too.

Just brainstorming out loud, good luck with your decision!

[mhogan10010]

The rat race is more of a state of mind than anything else. I lived in Tennessee for 5 years and North Carolina for 12. I found my life actually more hectic there than in NYC. If you live in VA Beach or Raleigh, you are confronted with bad traffic and straining infrastructure. If you move farther out to the smaller towns, you have a lot more Resistance to outsiders and then have to drive like crazy. My folks lived and raised our family in Metro Detroit. When they retired they moved back South to a small town in Western NC. When living in suburban Detroit, they might put 15,000 miles a year on the car. When they moved to NC, they consistently put 30,000 a year on the car. Just that if you want to do anything besides sit on your porch, you have to drive a long way.
I got out of NC and haven't regretted it a bit.
Just be careful. Rent before you buy if you can. Give yourself a couple of years to see how you adjust.