Charlotte vs. Raleigh????? (Greensboro, Cary, High Point: real estate, house, transfer)

[MOVEME]

We are a family of 5 moving from California to NC within 1-2 months. Hubby FINALLY got a transfer option approved with his company. We are either going to SW Charlotte or Cary sight unseen at this point due to time. Let me preface this thread by stating I grew up in the High Point, Greensboro, Winston Salem area and left in '85. Needless to say things change.

With that said I would like to know what is thought about the differences of the two cities. Schools are a major issue, we have an 8, 6 & 5 yr old. I have been reading this forum for the last 4 months or so and therefore have read quite a few posts on this issue. I would just like to get it down pat so to speak here in this thread. (All info in one place )

We have a home here in Cali that we are selling, amazingly enough it is only worth just under $300K (we live in the desert region - hasn't caught up with OC yet.) So we are wanting to upgrade to a 4bd, 2 ba 2200+ sq ft home for around $250K, can't do that here anymore Where can we do that reasonably in NC????

I like the amentities, shopping, movies nearby. Hubby doesn't want to commute more than 15 -25 mins from home. We like our family time.

So, after all this can anyone help???

Thanks ahead of time for your info everyone.

[jasonkruk]

I'll give you a bump back to the top with a little opinion.

I have not heard anything bad about Cary, but I don't know first hand. I have been to a couple of places where you grew up, (High Point, Greensboro, Winston Salem), and I would prefer Charlotte to any of these with Winston coming in a pretty close second.

[VickiR]

I've lived in North Raleigh/Cary for over 25 years now and I'm a Real Estate Agent (not a pushy one at all). I can tell you most anything about my area but can't really guide you on Charlotte. I've had clients that I've shown this area and they've had another agent show them Charlotte. I think its split 50/50 on which town they prefer. If the downtown area is a biggie for you, I'd say Charlotte. If schools are a biggie, I'd say Cary. Yep...this is my opinion but its based on living here.

Of course...my real opinion is that anywhere you live...its what YOU make of it.

Vicki

[Weis02]

Originally Posted by VickiR

Of course...my real opinion is that anywhere you live...its what YOU make of it.

Vicki

Vicki - you are so right - Remember that if the only reason you would consider moving is $, you may not be happy here or anywhere else for that matter. You have to make sure that you really are excited about the area and the possibility of living there. It has be like that in order to make it worth it to give up everything and everyone that is familiar to you.

they say the first cut is the deepest.well it is true. The first pulling away from your home area is hard but after that, it gets easier. (at least that it what I am told

[VickiR]

Thanks, Weis02! I'm a "people person" so I truly enjoy meeting people and watching people. And...as I'm now past the age of 35, I've come to the conclusion that some people are going to be happy no matter where they are and some are going to be miserable no matter where they are. Moving from one area to another is difficult...don't get me wrong...moving is a stress right up there with death and divorce. But...if you are the type of person that doesn't adjust to change and if you are the type of person that has more of a negative attitude than a positive one...its going to be doubly hard on you. Funny how people just don't see themselves as they are, sometimes. Ok Mike...I don't even like Dr. Phil!!! Vicki

[tlcha]

Dear CALifornia friend,
Hello! We are also planning to move to nc soon as our slow selling house sells here in michigan. We have two kids 10 and almost 5. We have been to charlotte and raleigh to check them out and only passed through greensboro.
Where have you decided to move and why? I like charlotte looks nice, seems nice. Raleigh is nice too but more expensive and not as nice looking. I did like cary nc a lot and wake forest. Seems new housing is pretty cheap in winston salem, greensboro, high point area too. Why wouldn't you consider there again? We also looked into califorina it is very expensive there. We have been many places in the last 3 years fl. ga, sc, nc, va. I am originally from nj.
I would really like to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Tammy

[Jubal28]

I just moved from Charlotte to Wilmington, and my new wife and I couldn't wait to get out. The #1 reason why we wanted out was because if we're to bring children into the world, there was no WAY we were ever going to put them through Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

The schools are awful and only getting worse. If it weren't for the deteriorating buildings, the falling test scores, and the terrible planning, it would be for the fact that (seemingly) almost every day there's a news story about bus drivers being drunk, not knowing where they're going, or getting into accidents -- and I saw at least three school bus accidents myself.

Last fall, the city (myself included) voted FOR every other bond on the ballot, but emphatically (2 to 1) voted against the school levy bond. Why? All of the above. And many people said so, too -- that they weren't going to give the incompetent school board another cent. The school board's response? Was it to address the problems the people told them they were fed up with? No. It was, in a nutshell, "it's so sad to see that Charlotte hates its children."

Oh, yeah, and the rising crime, especially in the formerly tranquil Uptown area, didn't help matters.

We're out and haven't looked back.

[li23]

Originally Posted by Jubal28

I just moved from Charlotte to Wilmington, and my new wife and I couldn't wait to get out. The #1 reason why we wanted out was because if we're to bring children into the world, there was no WAY we were ever going to put them through Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

The schools are awful and only getting worse. If it weren't for the deteriorating buildings, the falling test scores, and the terrible planning, it would be for the fact that (seemingly) almost every day there's a news story about bus drivers being drunk, not knowing where they're going, or getting into accidents -- and I saw at least three school bus accidents myself.

Last fall, the city (myself included) voted FOR every other bond on the ballot, but emphatically (2 to 1) voted against the school levy bond. Why? All of the above. And many people said so, too -- that they weren't going to give the incompetent school board another cent. The school board's response? Was it to address the problems the people told them they were fed up with? No. It was, in a nutshell, "it's so sad to see that Charlotte hates its children."

Oh, yeah, and the rising crime, especially in the formerly tranquil Uptown area, didn't help matters.

We're out and haven't looked back.

Yikes! Does anyone else feel this way about Charlotte? We haven't been down for a visit but we are researching north of Charlotte -- any input? The school report card for many of the areas weren't great. Hard to tell where to look. Reading these threads are great, but it does get confusing. Any other input would be great.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by li23

Yikes! Does anyone else feel this way about Charlotte? We haven't been down for a visit but we are researching north of Charlotte -- any input? The school report card for many of the areas weren't great. Hard to tell where to look. Reading these threads are great, but it does get confusing. Any other input would be great.

Check Cabarrus county schools you can live in beautiful Davidson or you can live in Concord, Also look into Iredell county schools you can live in Moorseville.

[li23]

Originally Posted by a1m1700

Check Cabarrus county schools you can live in beautiful Davidson or you can live in Concord, Also look into Iredell county schools you can live in Moorseville.

Thank you kindly! We will check it out.