Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
2) What is the best city (school,crime, property prices, shopping,etc) that is within 45 minutes or so, of both Richmond and Lexington? Where should we stay away from?
I would recommend Berea, Ky which is small town, but still close to it all. Low crime, lower taxes, nice college. Can give you more info if you like~just p.m. me.
3) Anyone know what a guy with about 7 years experience in construction (not a contractor) would make on average ? (Ballpark is fine)
What type construction? House, business? Carpentry? Can give ball park if you narrow it a little more.
4) How much snow does this general area get? I love snow! So the more the better.
Not enough!!
5) I have always wanted to learn to bellydance , has anyone heard of any local classes?
Yep! EKU offers all types of dancing classes, including bellydance, at very affordable prices, and with evening classes available.
I have a million questions, but won't bother ya'll with them all right now. Thank you so much for all your input!! I truly appreciate it!
Ask away-I'm from around here and pretty familiar with Berea, Richmond, etc.
Location: Apex, North Carolina [Shepherds Vineyard Subdivision]
269 posts, read 1,156,612 times
Reputation: 103
Californian to Kentucky?
Hi, any answers will be greatly appreciated. Excuse any dumb questions from this "all my life" Californian.
I read this thread regarding moving to Lexington and it caught my attention due to the fact myself, my wife, and my two girls age 5 and 9 are contemplating moving to Lexington area. This area caught our attention due to a friend sending us pictures of a visit she did to the area. My wife is originally from England, while I am originally a northern californian so we are both use to a lot more green and want more seasons. We loved the photo's and the history of the area! Currently living in Thousand Oaks, Ca, which is about 45 minutes northwest of Los Angeles. Very Dry and also hot [but less humidity]. A very affluent high end suburb of L.A. with a very low crime rate [# 5 in the USA] with lots of modern amenitites like good shopping, schools, roads, ect. So we are a bit spoiled, but we too want more down to earth, nice people, and are basically just wanting a change.
Both of us came here originally due to our families, but now we want to pick something for "us". Affordability of course is the main reason for our looking elsewhere. Impossible for us to step up to a larger home here, really crazy. We have noticed homes in the Lexington area for about $250,000 that would run about 1.5 million here! Were lucky that we purchased a house when we did a few years ago, which has greatly appreciated enough that we could purchase a house of that cost with our equity alone. Now to make sure we make the "right" move.
We have no intention of attempting to assimilate into this "how expensive my car or how big is my house" area. Were just a nice middle class family trying to make it. Now that you know of us, here are our worries concerning the Lexington area....
1. Crime rate is higher than national average. Is this more of a inner city problem, than in out lining area's?
2. Tornadoes? I see that tornadoes are not common to Fayette county, but that they have happened, and even a F-4 hit Madison county nearby, so obviously they happen. I know nothing when it comes to Tornadoes compared to Earthquakes [what do you want to know, lived through 2 major earthquakes locally, with that Northridge one red flagging a condo we lived in before our home!]. Are smaller ones common?
3. Do homes over there come with those ground shelters?
4. How much does added on Tornado insurance cost to home owners insurance?
5. I noticed "storm windows" listed as a highlight to some homes for sales, is this a good necessity?
6. I can handle heat [which Lexington actually runs about 10 degrees average less than Thousand Oaks, which is good to me!], and we understand the need for rain to keep it green, but like most newbies to the area, concerned regarding humidity. Is it the stifiling type? Are we talking mid-summer only? Is this a all-day deal, or just a morning or afternoon deal?
7. Got a kick out of that post mentioning how schools close for snowfall, kids must love that. Growing up in South Lake Tahoe we didn't see schools close unless were talking several feet of snow falling continually for days! My kids would still love the "touch" of snow, is a snowblower ever needed for your driveways in the outer areas to get your car out?
8. I currently am a Sales Manager of a large multi-line dealership for motorcycles and ATV's. Anyone on this list know how the off-road area's are over there? Is there a plethoria of riding area's nearby, or are most of them closed due to politics? Do you see a lot of motorcycles on the road? Inquiring minds want to know [obviously that could effect my job market] ?
9. How are the school? Any area's considered "better" districts for schools?
10. How far are you all from any local mountains for us avid hikers/mountain bikers and occasional snow-skiers.
Oh well, that's enough for now, and thanks in advance for any advice you can provide. Ciao!
I differ your questions to the Lexington area people ... but don't focus so much on Tornado's we have far fewer tornado's than California has earthquakes. Storm shelters are not a common feature on most houses, and the only people in Kentucky that worries about tornadoes are the folks moving here from other parts of the country (barring the great plains area were their a fixture)
On the rare event a tornado hits it is most of the time a very small limited area, it's not like a hurricane that wipes out 3 states. Tornado's will take out less than a square mile in most cases, I wouldn't worry about it, you have a better chance of being hit by a car or a run away cow. Normally tornado insurance is included in policies and isn't much.
Oh storm windows, there are a lot of old homes with single pane windows and storm windows add insulation keeping cooling/heating cost down, thus making it a selling feature. Rarely do they have anything to do with storms.
Thanks for all the replies. I think we are gonna check out several of these towns. I was wondering though, how do the locals feel about others moving in? And where are the people that are moving in coming from?
I was reading threads from some other states, and to listen to the locals talk about those moving in was a little scary. I don't want to move in and change things, but I do want feel as if my children and I belong. Is that impossible?
For some reason, there seems to have been an influx of Californians and Floridians, at least in the Berea/Richmond/surrounding towns. Everyone tends to assimilate pretty quickly, as long as you don't mind a few snickers at your accent!
Course, our accents are cause for a return snicker........
Why come on down Goingreene! We'll scoot right over and make room for ya! Which part of Ky are you considering? I've directed at least 3 families into my area, and so far they are all tickled pink!
We are trying to decide between Danville, Nicholasville, Winchester area. One of the schools I'm looking at is in Richmond, but eventually (hopefully) I will be at UKY, so I need to be able to get back and forth to Lex,too.
We want to rent for atleast 6 months or so to get to know the area. What's Richmond like?
I guess it depends on where you live in Kentucky as to the crime rate. We live in Breckinridge County, SW of Louisville, and have very little crime, it is beautiful country, we have hardly had any snow in the past two years since we've lived here, contractors are swamped with work and you can hardly get one to return your call, Breckinridge schools are great, everyone waives to you even if they don't know you, and we have trophy-size deer like you wouldn't believe. We looked all through Kentucky before we decided to move here. We wanted flatter rather than hilly land and found it.
This little town is growning FAST! I was raised up in Richmond, and live about 12 miles from it now. Not the greatest shopping, but close enough to Lexington that it doesn't matter. Plenty of top-notch restaraunts, mall, movie theaters, art gallery, museum, bed and breakfast Inns, and a wide variety of churches/religious orgs. I gotta say, if you are considering EKU, you are making a great choice. In fact, I go there myself! I'll be graduating this fall with a BSW. I love the smaller sized classes, campus, diversity, and things to do there, even for an old fogie like me. With 168 degree programs, there is classes for everyone. Plus, UK and EKU have inter-changable classes, so your credits will all transfer!
I think the best part of Richmond is it's small town enough that you don't feel overwhelmed, but still has enough to do to keep a person busy. We have some of the prettiest countryside around (in my humble opinion), and really affordable rent and utilities, especially within the city limits (KU electric). Try some of these links, and I can get you more info if you want.
Hope all this helps, and come for a visit! I betcha won't want to leave
~joanna~
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, has anyone heard of any local classes?
Thank you so much for all your input!! I truly appreciate it!
Californian to Kentucky?
Is that impossible?
