Job in High Point (Charlotte, Raleigh: appointed, real estate market, renting)
Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High PointThe Triad Area
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Hi all! My husband will be working in High Point. We are coming from Florida and are looking for some insight into the area. We have 4 kids from 14 to 7. We would like a neighborhood that has yards big enough for the kids to play in, family friendly area, and is within 15 minutes from shopping, etc. A few of my questions are:
What towns should I start investigating?
How is the real estate market?
How is traffic into High Point?
High Point is ok, parts of its are nice, lots of it isn't. The biggest problem is the schools. They are generally better on the northside of the city. Avoid any neighborhoods zoned to HP Central, look for Andrews High School instead, but check the quality of elementary and middle schools if you have children in that age range.
Otherwise, look at Jamestown and Kernersville.
Traffic isn't a huge issue in HP, unless you are coming from a very small town or rural area.
The real estate market in High Point is good for buyers compared to many places in NC which are sellers' markets through and through (Asheville, Raleigh, Charlotte, etc.) which have seen quite a spike in prices, especially recently. Part of that is simply that there's less demand in High Point than some of those areas that are seeing such an influx of population for a multitude of reasons (fast job growth, retirement, resort areas, etc.).
The bad news is if you are buying a home thinking you're going to see double digit percentage appreciation in homes if you decide to sell in a few years, you will likely be very disappointed, as High Point isn't in that kind of market, and never really has been. If it's rises, it's more slowly. And for many years, the real estate market has basically been sideways.
Some parts of High Point have issues (much of which have to do with it being a city that has traditionally been dependent on industries that NAFTA shifted out of the US, which left some economic deindustrialization in its older manufacturing areas), but some are quite pleasant, so I wouldn't automatically dismiss it in favor of a commute. It generally feels less "hectic" than its two larger neighbors, Greensboro and Winston-Salem, so depending on what you want, this could be a plus. It's always a good idea to scope out the areas yourself to get a feel for where you feel comfortable.
If you (or whoever happens to see this thread) really want to get into detail about the pros and cons of different neighborhoods in the older, established part of the city, this is a very interesting read:
The area in the study is what I call "Old High Point" (my term- not one locals would necessarily use). The more affluent areas on the north side of High Point aren't in the boundaries of the study, though there are a few iffy spots just off the map as well. The northern areas of High Point are somewhat aesthetically nice for people who like cookie-cutter suburbia, and the far northeast fringe of the city (NC 68 or Eastchester Drive and West Wendover area- which goes into Greensboro) has more traffic than just about anywhere else in High Point because it's what people typically describe as suburban sprawl,*and lots of the shopping, such as the Palladium shopping area, has gravitated up that way so everyone is driving everywhere.
And while many people think those northern areas of the city lack crime (and perhaps they are somewhat lower), they certainly aren't entirely immune from it. If you have an address, you can look to see what crime(s) have occurred over a period of time here (and in most cases read the police reports):
NE High Point is the most accessible to everything, as it benefits from Jamestown and Greensboro. Real Estate in the NE reflects that. Outside of that , options are sparse, however i feel like that will change with the arrival of the ballpark., which will boost the North Main area coming from downtown. But still to be close to any decent shopping and restaurants, NE is the area to live.
It seems as though High Point itself is not necessarily the most desirable town. How far out (realistic with traffic) are towns like Jamestown in terms of a commute? Are there other towns recommended? Thank you!
Most will suggest renting while you get to know the area. We typically dive in head first and buy.
If you are looking to buy, what is your price range?
Jamestown is nice area. There are parts of High Point that are in Davidson County; Davidson Co schools are generally considered more desirable than HP. Personally, after living in Davidson Co for 7 years, if I had a job in HP, I would still buy where we live, in the Meadowlands subdivision - I would suggest investigating it if your budget allows. It's about 15-20 minutes from HP.
It seems as though High Point itself is not necessarily the most desirable town. How far out (realistic with traffic) are towns like Jamestown in terms of a commute? Are there other towns recommended? Thank you!
Jamestown is immediately adjacent to High Point. Kernersville is 15 minutes away, more or less. As emelvee suggested, there are some nice areas in northern Davidson County, 10 to 15 minutes from High Point.
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