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We had really liked the Wellsley and Westpark developments in Cary (older developments with property before Cary became the place to live--plus, Wellsley has never been reassigned from the Davis Drive schools, which is great); however, seeing as we don't NEED to go to the triangle area, we were thinking of looking into Wilmington. It's right on the water, has the historic downtown, and you get a lot more for the money. I have heard that the schools are awful there, compared to Wake County. Looked into Cape Fear Academy, and tuition for my Kindergartener alone is a bit over $9K a year, LOL!!!
I don't know where you heard that you get more house for your money in Wilmington, but that is definitely not true. Wilmington is probably the most expensive city in NC after Chapel Hill across the board; home prices, gas prices, grocery/restaurant prices, not to mention the outrageous insurance premiums that stem from the fact that Wilmington is historically one of the most frequently hit metropolitan areas in the country by hurricanes.
Im moving to the Phx area in about 2 months and I cant wait..They have their problems there but at least its affordable and I wont have to deal with these crazy taxes anymore....
Yes, but the damages from flooding are significantly worse on the south shore vs the north shore. On the south shore of LI, the ground is flat to the ocean, whereas on the north shore, much of the housing is well above ocean level. Wind I can deal with, flooding is a different issue and it's flooding that is causing so many insurance companies to non-renew Long Island customers.
Flooding insurance is different than homeowner's insurance. HO companies are non renewing on LI out of fear of a big hurricane. HO insurance would address damages caused by the hurricane, but not the storm surge. Flood insurance would cover the damages wrought by a storm surge.
You can be at 0' or at Jayne's Hill (highest point on LI), N or S shore and you're going to get blown. I knew plenty of people who did not have flood problems during Gloria, but who had structural issues, as well as other problems such as loss of power for over a week, etc.
As much as I love trees, living on the north shore I am more concerned about a tree coming through my roof during the wind, and with some of the wind and rain we've had lately that's a possibility greater than flooding in a hurricane.
Left Long Island five years ago, never would go back to live! Love it here! Great schools, weather, people, beaches, tons to do!!
My parents retired down to St Aug Beach. It's nice to have the beach a stone's throw when we visit. I wouldn't want to live there. US1 reminds me of Hempstead Tpke, A1A is too touristy. My sister is in PVB by Sawgrass. I prefer that area much more.
An acquaintance bought a place in World Golf Village, he's going the snowbird route. I was at the hotel back in Nov for my daughter's dance comp, looks nice. He told me that one of the subdivisions (Levitt) in WGV was having problems?
This is my first post, so please take it easy on me :-)
Here is my situation...My hubby just retired and we are looking to move off the island due to the fact that our family is growing, housing prices are still high, and taxes and cost of living are just proving to be too much for people looking to have more than the standard 2 children.
We have the ability to go virtually anywhere. Our requirements are good schools, 5 bedroom home under $400K with 1/3+ acre, low taxes and nice neighborhood feel (shopping and hospitals nearby as well). I know, I'm looking for Utopia, lol. But can anyone make some suggestions? We're all over the place, toying with NC, Philly suburbs, Delaware. Help!
Hi - my husband is retired too! We have a young children, and live on Long Island as well. We just listed our home, and are planning on relocating to North Carolina. We have our heart set on Holly Springs. Good schools, real nice family oriented subdivisions. We really like these subdivisions: Wescott, Sunset Oaks, and Sunset Ridge. All pretty much in your price range, I might add. I would suggest you google them, and plan at trip down to check it out for yourself. Good luck on your search!
I remember Gloria. Still have a scar on my hand from sawing downed limbs afterward. I now live in Missouri, where tornados are common. At least with hurricanes you have a few days' warning. With tornados, you're lucky to get a half-hour. Both suck.
When we left Long Island we went a bit overboard and moved to FRANCE. (There is a long story there, not relevant to this thread.)
However, several years ago the CEO and I went to Concord New Hampshire for a ten day business trip. I was quite impressed with the city and the people I met there. Nice, friendly, and helpful, but not in an intrusive way. The schools should be good.
Housing is cheap compared to LI and the suburbs of places like Boston and Philly, and land is cheap. Money can go far up there.
Some of the towns and villages outside of Concord are very poor. I doubt there is much crime, but I would wonder about the schools. Other towns and villages are beautiful and quite posh looking.
Concord is very clean city, neat, and small. Still, there were doings in the arts and culture, and great restaurants. The White Mountains offer great hiking, there are gorgeous cool lakes for swimming, boating and fishing, and the Kancamagus Highway scenic drive with its hiking trails and swimming holes is not to be missed.
Snow. The snow in that part of New England is fine and powdery, a lot easier to remove than the heavy wet LI glop. They are champions at snow removal up there, something I remember from my student days in western Massachusetts. The cold is drier, so it doesn't feel all that cold.
Summers are hot and can be very humid. When we were there it was late June and the temperature was 105F.
The trip down to visit family and friends on LI isn't all that long and it is a pretty ride.
Something to keep in mind about moving with kids to a very different place, like the deep south... or France. If you move to a community of expats, like transplanted northerners living in a community with other northerners in the deep south, the kids will grow up not feeling a part of any community. They won't feel like Carolina or Georgia kids, but they won't feel like New Yorkers either.
Consider too how well you and your children will be accepted. You don't want to be in a position where your kids are constantly being told by their fundamentalist classmates that they are going to Hell because they are Catholic, Jewish, or the 'wrong' kind of Protestant.
If you live amongst the natives, as I do, your kids will become members of that community. There are no Americans where I live, and no Brits. My LI-born kids have become bona fide Europeans, French in outlook and manner, and they have no interest in returning to the US. One of my neighbours has a daughter who, along with her husband work for Microsoft in Seattle. They like the city and the people, but after a decade in the US they are returning to France because they want their children to grow up to be French. If they stay any longer the kids will become American.
If it all goes well expect that your southern kids will develop a taste for REAL barbecue instead of deli, and talk with a cute accent. I would choose New Hampshire.
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St Augustine
