Family Moving to WS in Six Weeks, Needs Advice! (Winston-Salem: real estate, rental homes)

[JessicaCC]

Hello,

My family will be moving to Winston-Salem in about six weeks, and we are hoping to gather some information regarding what neighborhood/s we should live in. We would love to get our son into a public school preschool program, so that he can stay in the same school when he enters kindergarten. Which schools offer these sorts of programs (both public and magnet), and in what neighborhoods should we reside in to gain entry to these programs? In addition, we love hiking and running and would like to have access (preferably walking access) to outdoor areas. Do any of the neighborhoods offer this? We like diverse neighborhoods but don't want to deal with loud student parties and the like.

Lastly, if anyone can offer insight about the issues below, it will be greatly appreciated.
1.) Great day care programs. Here in Chattanooga, we really like our little Episcopal school, and we'd like something along those lines. We are not interested in any programs in conservative denominations (like Baptist or evangelical).
2.) A recommendation for the best place (online) to search search for rental homes or agencies that can assist in this process.
3.) My husband and I will be visiting the city for the first time next weekend. What do we need to do/see?

Ultimately, we are looking for a three or four bedroom home with a fenced yard (two dogs), two living areas, 1.5+ bathrooms, and access to the outdoors in a great school district.

Thank you!
Jess

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

I don't know what your budget is like, and I don't have a ton of experience with the school system yet (my kids are still too young), but I can address a few of your questions.

If you're looking to stay in Winston, proper, I'd look in Ardmore, West End, Buena Vista, the Country Club area and maybe Sherwood Forest. Now, all of those areas have pros and cons, and they are among the priciest areas in town, but that really depends on the block. You can find a home in any of those areas for under 200k (purchase price, obviously. I know you're renting, but it should give you some idea...), and in many cases far less. You'll likely have more luck with rentals in Ardmore and maybe Country Club and West End than you will in Buena Vista.

These areas are, for the most part, in the better in-town school zones, with elementary schools like Whitaker, Sherwood Forest and Brunson, all of which have "GreatSchools" ratings between 7 and 10 out of 10, for what those are worth. For daycares, there have actually been a few good ones that have closed recently, but there are still some options. Centenary Methodist downtown has a great center (Foundations at 4 1/2th Street). First Baptist has a good one too, as does Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. All of those are less religious than they sound.

For rentals, try Ogburn Property Manager Winston Salem, NC | Property Manager 27101 | Ogburn Properties. You might also have some luck with a real estate search engine like Zillow, and some of the good local landlords really do post on Craigslist, so you'll want to give that a try.

As for outdoor activities, all of the areas I named, for the most part, have their share of runners and walkers. There are some great parks around town, and a great greenway that runs from Washington Park over to Salem Lake (which is pretty for hiking and running) and up into the downtown area. More on those here: WS Greenways

If you come for a visit, definitely take a drive through the neighborhoods I mentioned, visit Old Salem, check out the downtown area (which, not unlike Chattanooga, was sleepy for a long time but has really blossomed in the last 5-10 years), have a bite to eat. There are some really good restaurants. If you're coming in from the west, you'll drive through some pretty country. Be aware that WS is actually only about an hour from proper mountains and well under half an hour from some really great hiking at places like Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock, while still being close enough to the beach (under 4 hours) for an occasional long weekend trip.

I'm sure others have more ideas.

If you're more interested in something more suburban, a lot of people like Clemmons and Lewisville. I can't speak for either of those myself.

[Liam27012]

Clemmons is a great bedroom for W-S. Good schools in town and because the school system is W-S + Forsyth Co there is some choice especially if your child is talented or 'special needs'. Good shopping and public services on a low property tax budget and W-S is just a few minutes away.

[nicalbright]

I currently live in King, NC. Which is about 20 minutes north of downtown WS. In my opinion it's slowly becoming a great place to raise a family and thrive without having to live directly in the city. As I said, you're 20 minutes north of the city, with direct access to HWY 52 (which is a direct shot to downtown WS), there are a decent handful of your regular quick-stop restaurants like Subway, McD's, Wendys..ect, as well as a few good sit-down places like Town & Country, Little Italy, Mi Pueblo, Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse, and a few others. You have a large library located right next to a huge recreation area that commonly holds baseball, football, and soccer games, and also houses a skatepark and running track. Central park offers walking trails, a fishing pond, and a large outdoor stage where you'll find live bands and festivals throughout the year. Schools are a bit above average IMO, I attended them from K-12. No overwhelming violence, zero gang activity, great teachers for the most part, and good athletic programs. The town itself has changed dramatically in the last 5 years or so, and looks to continue doing so. They've added numerous small business' and have also started expanding in a different side of town adding another grocery store, a daycare/learning/enrichment center, another Mexican restaurant, another Japanese restaurant, and a subway restaurant. They are actually discussing the construction of a Walmart in the center of town now, which, if approved by the town, is set to begin construction THIS June-ish. It has it's regular crime and whatnot as any small town would, but nothing out of the way like homicides and muggings. (From my experience anyway)

Many people seem to shy away from King because its kind of out in the sticks compared to Clemmons and K-Ville and its smaller scale, but I wouldn't mind it if I were embarking on a family venture. (I'm 22, fresh out of college, and working in downtown WS, so i may look to tackle a larger city should i desire to leave my current company one day, but for now I don't mind it at all)

[wsnc62]

Good post, nicalbright, especially for a 22 year old. Most young people whine about the lack of activities for a small town, much less a metropolis. It is nice to hear some positive feedback about the burbs.