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I grew up in Franklin Square, In 2015 moved to Cary,NC with my wife and daughter. We lived here for about 4 years then moved to Mckinney,TX for 2 years, then back to NC. I didn’t really care for NC then and really dislike it now. I did however like TX, unfortunately that didn’t work out. Im really hoping to head back to Long Island or just head somewhere north, I just need to get out of the south. Has anyone done anything similar? If so was it worth it and where did you end up
For some intangible reason, I very much disliked the Cary area, and resettled in the Charlotte area, which I like much better.
Anecdotally, I know of other former LI'ers who moved to the Cary/Raleigh area, and didn't care for it. But other parts of NC have a very different feel.
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I would never return to LI, but if I were to relocate back up North, I would look at the Philly area, or south Jersey near the ocean.
I agree with hotkarl in that you won't need 150k-200k to live somewhere else....cost of living in states like FL, TN, NC and SC is much cheaper. IF one person makes 90k and the other makes around the same then you have almost a 200k income in a state with very low taxes and cost of living. Unless you are going out to eat every night to Peter Luger's and spending $250 on dinner then I see your point.
If you can sell your house here, make a decent profit, and put that down on a brand new house in say FL or NC you are way ahead of the game and you will have a very small mortgage, if any. My parent relocated to Nashville two years ago during Covid and their property and school taxes combined are 3k. They sold their house here and almost paid off the new house and have like an $1100 mortgage. It's crazy.
Meanwhile my newly married 31 year old cousin just bought a house in Massapequa for like 600k and it still needs 100k worth of work and remodeling and he's going to be carrying like a 3700 dollar mortage the next 30 years.
As to islanders comment, yea, it can be hard to leave family, I understand that.....but in my opinion, it shouldn't be the reason you stay either. Are you married to your husband or are you married to your parents? They will always be there, and if anything, a 2 hour flight back to NY to visit, which is nothing, we can do that any weekend and at any time.
I never understood people's predilection to stay close to family......ya they are important, but are they so important that you have to be forced to stay in NY and forego having a better QOL elsewhere just bc you want to be near them? I never really understood that logic, but I'm a guy so......I guess maybe I think differently. That's why they have planes and trains and cars.....to go visit ppl.
I agree with hotkarl in that you won't need 150k-200k to live somewhere else....cost of living in states like FL, TN, NC and SC is much cheaper. IF one person makes 90k and the other makes around the same then you have almost a 200k income in a state with very low taxes and cost of living. Unless you are going out to eat every night to Peter Luger's and spending $250 on dinner then I see your point.
If you can sell your house here, make a decent profit, and put that down on a brand new house in say FL or NC you are way ahead of the game and you will have a very small mortgage, if any. My parent relocated to Nashville two years ago during Covid and their property and school taxes combined are 3k. They sold their house here and almost paid off the new house and have like an $1100 mortgage. It's crazy.
Meanwhile my newly married 31 year old cousin just bought a house in Massapequa for like 600k and it still needs 100k worth of work and remodeling and he's going to be carrying like a 3700 dollar mortage the next 30 years.
As to islanders comment, yea, it can be hard to leave family, I understand that.....but in my opinion, it shouldn't be the reason you stay either. Are you married to your husband or are you married to your parents? They will always be there, and if anything, a 2 hour flight back to NY to visit, which is nothing, we can do that any weekend and at any time.
I never understood people's predilection to stay close to family......ya they are important, but are they so important that you have to be forced to stay in NY and forego having a better QOL elsewhere just bc you want to be near them? I never really understood that logic, but I'm a guy so......I guess maybe I think differently. That's why they have planes and trains and cars.....to go visit ppl.
Very well said! As stated earlier, “when my family pays my mortgage & property taxes, then I’ll stay”.
The feeling is mutual, NC doesn’t feel like home to me at all. I miss so many things about NY. I’m heading up next week to visit my uncle, words can not express how excited I am just to visit.
Hoping you will update/communicate your impressions/insights after your visit. Welcome back.
I grew up in Franklin Square, In 2015 moved to Cary,NC with my wife and daughter. We lived here for about 4 years then moved to Mckinney,TX for 2 years, then back to NC. I didn’t really care for NC then and really dislike it now. I did however like TX, unfortunately that didn’t work out. Im really hoping to head back to Long Island or just head somewhere north, I just need to get out of the south. Has anyone done anything similar? If so was it worth it and where did you end up
I actually like Texas, esp the Dallas and Austin areas. San Antonio is very nice too with the riverwalk there. The food is great in Texas, the ppl are friendly, and the cost of living is pretty low compared to NY. Also I am not sure if you care about politics, but I like that Texas is more of a red "conservative" state.
As you know here in NY it's super liberal blue state and those policies have spilled over to LI and it's changed.
You say you are from Franklin square? I live in West Hempstead right next door and let me tell you it's getting like Queens now. Cars parked all along the side streets at night just like Queens, no room, over crowded, traffic at all times of the day now on the Southern state and Belt. And since you left taxes and houses have only gone up due to the whole Covid spike in real estate here.
I know you want to come back, just be prepared what you are coming back to.
Imo, the only thing I think I'd miss about NY is the food (pizza, bagels, sushi). Other than that, say in FL or Texas.....it's warmer (no snow which I like) , the water and beaches are cleaner, the streets are cleaner, the ppl are nicer, and the taxes are all much lower.
I honestly don't know why anyone would want to come back to LI once they left, unless you were going to go live in Westchester or somewhere upstate where there is less ppl and it's more rural. I really like the Finger Lakes region around Ithaca, it's very nice up there.
For some intangible reason, I very much disliked the Cary area, and resettled in the Charlotte area, which I like much better.
Anecdotally, I know of other former LI'ers who moved to the Cary/Raleigh area, and didn't care for it. But other parts of NC have a very different feel.
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I would never return to LI, but if I were to relocate back up North, I would look at the Philly area, or south Jersey near the ocean.
Wondering why you didn't like the Cary area? Because from what I hear, it's once of the best places to live in NC? It's close to Raleigh for work, you have Jordan lake nearby, I've never been but I hear it's very nice so I'm curious why you like Charlotte better? More mellow and laid back? Less traffic? Different ppl?
I am going to pay a visit to NC soon and am wondering if I should go to Raleigh or Charlotte. What has better food/ restaurants/ things to do? I heard Charlotte is much more low key than Raleigh-Durham areas and the Triangle.
I agree with hotkarl in that you won't need 150k-200k to live somewhere else....cost of living in states like FL, TN, NC and SC is much cheaper. IF one person makes 90k and the other makes around the same then you have almost a 200k income in a state with very low taxes and cost of living. Unless you are going out to eat every night to Peter Luger's and spending $250 on dinner then I see your point.
If you can sell your house here, make a decent profit, and put that down on a brand new house in say FL or NC you are way ahead of the game and you will have a very small mortgage, if any. My parent relocated to Nashville two years ago during Covid and their property and school taxes combined are 3k. They sold their house here and almost paid off the new house and have like an $1100 mortgage. It's crazy.
Meanwhile my newly married 31 year old cousin just bought a house in Massapequa for like 600k and it still needs 100k worth of work and remodeling and he's going to be carrying like a 3700 dollar mortage the next 30 years.
As to islanders comment, yea, it can be hard to leave family, I understand that.....but in my opinion, it shouldn't be the reason you stay either. Are you married to your husband or are you married to your parents? They will always be there, and if anything, a 2 hour flight back to NY to visit, which is nothing, we can do that any weekend and at any time.
I never understood people's predilection to stay close to family......ya they are important, but are they so important that you have to be forced to stay in NY and forego having a better QOL elsewhere just bc you want to be near them? I never really understood that logic, but I'm a guy so......I guess maybe I think differently. That's why they have planes and trains and cars.....to go visit ppl.
100% on the mark. We are married to our spouses and not to our parents. Sure, we want to be there for them if they need us but we are supposed to live our own lives after we are raised. Parents shouldn’t be so selfish to expect their kids to be there for them. I’m glad my parents weren’t like that but I know some people with totally narcissistic parents who only care for themselves. Its your lives folks. You have the freedom to do what you want unless you need to be treated like children well into your adult years.
I am going to pay a visit to NC soon and am wondering if I should go to Raleigh or Charlotte. What has better food/ restaurants/ things to do? I heard Charlotte is much more low key than Raleigh-Durham areas and the Triangle.
Really? That surprises me. Charlotte's uptown is more urban that Raleigh. Raleigh has a very small urban core that is still borderline suburban. And the traffic around Charlotte...lawd. It's getting there in this area but Charlotte is like LI traffic wise. Glad none of my kids went to college there or where I'd have to go through it. Charlotte has more banker/market types but Raleigh has more educators with Duke, UNC and NC State here, and more lawyers due to the capital being here, more tech people with RTP and now Apple building a campus here. Unfortunately that has brought extremely high home prices and you cannot sell your house on LI and get a new house for a reasonable sum.
Wondering why you didn't like the Cary area? Because from what I hear, it's once of the best places to live in NC? It's close to Raleigh for work, you have Jordan lake nearby, I've never been but I hear it's very nice so I'm curious why you like Charlotte better? More mellow and laid back? Less traffic? Different ppl?
I am going to pay a visit to NC soon and am wondering if I should go to Raleigh or Charlotte. What has better food/ restaurants/ things to do? I heard Charlotte is much more low key than Raleigh-Durham areas and the Triangle.
Cary and most of NC is very dull, come down a pay a visit. It’s like living in a fish bowl and once you leave that fish bowl it’s hill billy hell. I’m 37 with two young kids and I hate it here, I would have killed myself living here without kids
Cary and most of NC is very dull, come down a pay a visit. It’s like living in a fish bowl and once you leave that fish bowl it’s hill billy hell. I’m 37 with two young kids and I hate it here, I would have killed myself living here without kids
Never saw the appeal either, some beautiful areas to be sure there (the college areas) but nothing special that blew me away IMO (and it’s no where near the coast) I never really got the “draw” of that place. The real appeal of course is the tech industry there if that is your field it’s becoming Silicon Valley east. I have a few friends who live there, and love it but it’s not for me.
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