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Thread summary:

NC: file bankruptcy, truck driving school, claustrophobic, easy commuting distance, mountains

 
Old 07-17-2007, 06:13 PM
 
32 posts, read 119,146 times
Reputation: 17

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Hi! I've spent days reading this forum, and I'm thrilled at how helpful people are! I've been researching a move to Roanoke, Va, but after reading the forum posts here, I'm highly interested in learning more about North Carolina. We have been wanting to move south for years, and there has never been a better time that screams DO IT NOW! I hope the following information is helpful. Some is rather personal, but I want to be sure to include all pertinent information so hopefully someone can help me.

I'm currently living in Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, with my husband and 2 boys aged 8 and 12. I was laid off in April 2005. The job market up here is so fierce I've been unable to find any work except minimum wage. We were forced to file bankruptcy, so our credit is shot. My husband has worked for the same company for 17 years, but it has already been heavily implied that my husband will be receiving his pink slip soon. We simply can not afford to stay here. In essence, we're being forced to start over. My husband begins CDL truck driving school on July 30th. He chose the profession because it will give us the freedom to move just about anywhere in the country and still retain his job.

We're currently living in a tiny row home in the middle of a row home development with a postage stamp sized front yard 10 minutes away from a filthy city. Traffic is horrid and it literally takes 20 minutes to drive 2 miles. I'm claustrophobic and I can't breath! Due to our recent bankruptcy, we're willing to pay 6 months rent up front, if need be. However, we have 2 small dogs (pugs) and 2 cats, and we need a landlord that will allow us to keep them!

We love the outdoors, mountains, woods, lakes, fishing, hiking, etc, and would love to live within an easy commuting distance to mountains. We're looking to rent a clean 2-3 bedroom SFH, with grass all the way around it. I'm not picky. We're good quiet respectful people. I'd like my kids to have friends nearby. I don't want to have to pay more than $800.00 a month in rent. My husband will be gone for a week at a time, so I'm looking for a decently populated area that has a low crime rate. I don't mind driving to a grocery store, department store, or restaurants. I DO mind being in an area so rural we could be alone for days before seeing another person. We're just looking for a nice semi-suburban neighborhood to rebuild our lives and let my children have the childhood they deserve. Any suggestions on where to find available local rental property listings would be appreciated!

I'm in a position to wait until we move to find a local job, but I will need a job eventually. I'd prefer not to have to drive an hour to get there, lol. With my husband gone so much, I will need a job with hours during daycare availability. I've been an Inventory Control Manager for a warehouse, customer service, waitress, etc... I've got excellent references, motivated, willing to learn anything, and I'm not afraid of hard work.

My boys are entering 3rd and 6th grade. My youngest has ADHD. I'll need to know my kids are in a decent school, and are willing to work with parents. Also, my oldest son may not need daycare, but my youngest child most assuredly will. I was paying $195 a week for before / after school 2 years ago. I'm hoping it's less down there!

Due to my mother's southern upbringing, it takes me about three minutes to pick up a southern drawl. I joke around all the time and tell her I'm a misplaced Ozark baby, LOL. Every time my husband and I visit the south, we feel such peace and wonder at how beautiful it is, and how different it is from the North. We're ready to come down and embrace the southern way of life. I'm desperate for my children to spend the rest of their childhood in an area that embraces the true values I hold dear, and not the ghetto mentality that is so predominant where we live now.

I'm planning to take my children on a three week tour of the South in August. The reason I'm looking for specific towns is so I can plan our itinerary. I want my kids to be with me and collectively fall in love with a place we'll be happy to call home!

Any and all suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!
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Old 07-17-2007, 10:33 PM
NCN
 
Location: NC/SC Border Patrol
21,663 posts, read 25,552,775 times
Reputation: 24368
The Charlotte area has several trucking companies. Lowe's has a new operations center near Mooresville that may need your talents. You may want to try Troutman, North Carolina. It is north of Lake Norman and south of Statesville.

I am not trying to change your mind about Roanoke, Virginia. I love to visit Roanoke. I would think Roanoke would have more snow than the Lake Norman area, although Troutman has more snow, usually, than Charlotte.
I was trying to get your husband and you employed with as little driving as possible and living in a semi rural area, so hopefully the crime rate would be less. I think housing in Troutman may be less expensive. Lowe's has a website on the internet. I think you mentioned that you like the mountains, that would point you to Roanoke again. Have you checked on jobs there. I always thought it was best to have the job and then move. Hope this helps. Whatever happens, I think you will be all right; because you are in there trying.
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Old 07-19-2007, 06:47 AM
 
32 posts, read 119,146 times
Reputation: 17
I'm not set on moving to Roanoke. Due to my husbands job mobility, we can choose to live most anywhere, LOL. While that freedom is nice, it opens up a whole geographical area to narrow down from, and that's more difficult than it first appears!

We're open to relocate just about anywhere. In our situation, education, child-friendly neighborhoods and living expenses are our highest priority. We're suffocating up here in the North. We're very simple people, who just want to enjoy life, spend a lot of time outdoors, and have fun being together. We can't find what we're looking for up here and we're ready to move on.

My husbands income will rise quite a bit next year. I'm looking for inexpensive rent and a job so we can save as much money as possible towards the purchase of a home. Even slightly more than minimum wage would be fine. I'm not afraid to get dirty and work hard, and will hire myself out to do just about anything, as long as it's legal!

I'll be looking into the places you've suggested. Thanks for taking the time to help us out!
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Old 07-19-2007, 08:18 AM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,458,754 times
Reputation: 40198
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarahmorgan View Post
Hi! I've spent days reading this forum, and I'm thrilled at how helpful people are! I've been researching a move to Roanoke, Va, but after reading the forum posts here, I'm highly interested in learning more about North Carolina. We have been wanting to move south for years, and there has never been a better time that screams DO IT NOW! I hope the following information is helpful. Some is rather personal, but I want to be sure to include all pertinent information so hopefully someone can help me.

I'm currently living in Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia, with my husband and 2 boys aged 8 and 12. I was laid off in April 2005. The job market up here is so fierce I've been unable to find any work except minimum wage. We were forced to file bankruptcy, so our credit is shot. My husband has worked for the same company for 17 years, but it has already been heavily implied that my husband will be receiving his pink slip soon. We simply can not afford to stay here. In essence, we're being forced to start over. My husband begins CDL truck driving school on July 30th. He chose the profession because it will give us the freedom to move just about anywhere in the country and still retain his job.

We're currently living in a tiny row home in the middle of a row home development with a postage stamp sized front yard 10 minutes away from a filthy city. Traffic is horrid and it literally takes 20 minutes to drive 2 miles. I'm claustrophobic and I can't breath! Due to our recent bankruptcy, we're willing to pay 6 months rent up front, if need be. However, we have 2 small dogs (pugs) and 2 cats, and we need a landlord that will allow us to keep them!

We love the outdoors, mountains, woods, lakes, fishing, hiking, etc, and would love to live within an easy commuting distance to mountains. We're looking to rent a clean 2-3 bedroom SFH, with grass all the way around it. I'm not picky. We're good quiet respectful people. I'd like my kids to have friends nearby. I don't want to have to pay more than $800.00 a month in rent. My husband will be gone for a week at a time, so I'm looking for a decently populated area that has a low crime rate. I don't mind driving to a grocery store, department store, or restaurants. I DO mind being in an area so rural we could be alone for days before seeing another person. We're just looking for a nice semi-suburban neighborhood to rebuild our lives and let my children have the childhood they deserve. Any suggestions on where to find available local rental property listings would be appreciated!

I'm in a position to wait until we move to find a local job, but I will need a job eventually. I'd prefer not to have to drive an hour to get there, lol. With my husband gone so much, I will need a job with hours during daycare availability. I've been an Inventory Control Manager for a warehouse, customer service, waitress, etc... I've got excellent references, motivated, willing to learn anything, and I'm not afraid of hard work.

My boys are entering 3rd and 6th grade. My youngest has ADHD. I'll need to know my kids are in a decent school, and are willing to work with parents. Also, my oldest son may not need daycare, but my youngest child most assuredly will. I was paying $195 a week for before / after school 2 years ago. I'm hoping it's less down there!

Due to my mother's southern upbringing, it takes me about three minutes to pick up a southern drawl. I joke around all the time and tell her I'm a misplaced Ozark baby, LOL. Every time my husband and I visit the south, we feel such peace and wonder at how beautiful it is, and how different it is from the North. We're ready to come down and embrace the southern way of life. I'm desperate for my children to spend the rest of their childhood in an area that embraces the true values I hold dear, and not the ghetto mentality that is so predominant where we live now.

I'm planning to take my children on a three week tour of the South in August. The reason I'm looking for specific towns is so I can plan our itinerary. I want my kids to be with me and collectively fall in love with a place we'll be happy to call home!

Any and all suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!

I would highly suggest you check out the great little town of Taylorsville. It sounds just like what you may be looking for. Google it and I think you will agree. In addition, type "taylorsville" in the search box above and bring up many posts that will tell you about it here. Try this link for starters Town of Taylorsville - Taylorsville, NC

Best of luck!

Last edited by lovesMountains; 07-19-2007 at 08:26 AM..
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Old 07-24-2007, 01:17 AM
 
25 posts, read 153,138 times
Reputation: 17
It sounds like you would like the mountains the most. Any other place in NC might just be too depressing, and although most areas might look perfect to raise children (in terms of space, scenery, etc), you might quickly realize that they will face a very unchallenging environment on the long run. And let's face it: a lot of small town schools suck, and so does the job market.

Now back to the mountains: Asheville is the number one city that will pop up in most conversations. Yes, it's charming, active, and a lot of people from other states are moving there. The latter has caused one problem though: a massive real estate boom. You might be able to find decent prices in smaller towns, but they may get boring after a while and may not be your best option depending on your job situation.

Also, if you love to take your dogs out wherever you go, NC is the wrong place for you. I have lived in different places, and North Carolina is least pet friendly place I've lived in so far. They won't allow them anywhere, and even finding a place for rent that allows them will rule out most of the real estate listings you'll come across. And once you do find a place that accepts them: be ready to treat them against fleas and ticks all year round. The climate doesn't like doggies either.

That being said, you sound like you know what you're getting yourself into and seem compatible enough with the general NC mentality. As long as you got that, I think you're ready to go.

I know my post probably sounds a bit negative, but North Carolina has its down sides. And it's important for anyone who considers moving here to be aware of them. There is nothing worse than moving your whole life upside down, only to realize you're now stuck in the wrong place.
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Old 07-24-2007, 06:25 AM
 
32 posts, read 119,146 times
Reputation: 17
I appreciate the honesty, Lilycat! You hit the nail on the head about moving and realizing you're stuck in the wrong place. I'm so glad I stumbled onto this forum! Any state and town can look good with glossy pictures and good PR, and it's all too easy to fall into a trap only realizing later that you've made a HUGE mistake!

Every area has down sides. We all need to decide what we can live with and what we find to be absolutely intolerable. I've found the people on this forum to be refreshingly honest and helpful to those inquiring about their states, and it makes it so much easier to make those decisions!

Thanks to everyone who's posted! You have no idea how much it means to people like me who have to do most of our relocation researching on the internet! Hopefully one day soon, I'll be able to post on the Pennsylvania board and help others as you've helped me. I find I'm so depressed and bitter right now I can't answer other's questions objectively about the area I currently live in.
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Old 07-24-2007, 06:17 PM
 
41 posts, read 122,175 times
Reputation: 26
Smile Hickory NC

Hickory, NC is a very nice place you may also like. Statesville, and Mooresville, NC are other places you may consider. Hickory is more rural and closer to the mountains. They are all very nice places to live.
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Old 07-24-2007, 08:53 PM
 
Location: in a house
3,574 posts, read 14,319,022 times
Reputation: 2400
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarahmorgan View Post
.....Due to my husbands job mobility, we can choose to live most anywhere, LOL. ..........My husbands income will rise quite a bit next year. ....
So he has been hired by a company as a driver and has been promised a salary?
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