Florida to TN or NC (cross posted) (Charlotte, Raleigh: insurance, condos)

[pixiewytch]

Hi everybody, my family is hoping to move from our native Florida to TN or the Carolinas. Despite living here our entire life we are being pushed out by condos, townhomes, and urban sprawl which also includes skyrocketing costs of living. We have a four year old and a baby on the way soon. Ideally I would like to raise my family in a slower paced lifestyle with more emphasis on nature and simple living than corporate greed.

We visited the Gatlinburg area and the Blue Ridge mountain area and have fallen in love with it so we have been working toward the goal of moving to TN or NC for several years now. I just have no idea where to start or what would be an ideal city for us. We don't have a lot of money to travel extensively and research this.

We are trying to narrow down some specifics but this is tough with children involved. My husband and I fantasize about living off grid with solar power and building our own small cabin but I also don't want to isolate my children from society. I would love to live in a small country town with one school but I also want to be able to get to a town that has some sort of community or cultural activities for the children. Plus, my husband is in engineering and would probably need to commute (he already does now) but of course we would like to keep that to a minimum.

Last of all we are very liberal minded progressive thinkers (many would call us hippies I guess). I am used to being surrounded by conservatives in my family and even here in Fl but I don't want to move somewhere if my family feels shut out or unwelcome by our crazy ideas of building a simple ecofriendly dwelling and raising our kids to make their own choices about spirituality, politics, etc.

I guess I'm looking for the best of both worlds which may be hard to find....good old fashioned country folk whom we would have a lot in common with combined with an open minded community that cares about social issues and the environment. An area without a lot of building code restrictions and rebates for solar/renewable energy is definitely a plus.

[mm34b]

In my opinion, the only somewhat liberal area in the Mountain Region of Western NC is the City of Asheville, not to be confused with the Asheville Metro area. Outside of Asheville's city limits, it's politically conservative. The most liberal area of NC is around the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.

[friendnc]

Asheville metro area is a great place! Mars Hill is a cute, little college town 20 miles north of Asheville and is affordable. You'd be close to Asheville and what it has to offer, but have the space and affordability you want. And don't worry, NC is a very welcoming place to everyone (I live in the Charlotte area). "Diversity" means respecting the beliefs of all people, not nessisarily agreeing with them, and I think in most cases you'll get than here in NC. But trust me, some liberals (as well as some conservatives) can be pretty intolerant and are only "tolerant" when you agree with them. The key is understanding it works both ways. As long as you and your family get to know others who don't think like you, as well as others who do, and be yourselves without being preachy, you should do fine. What seems to be good about the Asheville area (and what I find here in the Charlotte area) is there area a lot of liberals and a lot of conservatives and they seem to coexisit really well. Too, don't fall for all of the stereotypes you might hear. My family and I are conservative and LOVE the outdoors, conservation, wildlife, ect. I really do think you would love the Asheville area. Good luck in your search!!!!!

[Susan058]

I know of people in NC that home schooled ...as living on a mountain, breathing the fresh air...was not conviently located to schools. If that's an option. This is in Hot Springs-Madison county which is 45 min. from Asheville or Waynesville. I've noticed when I've been in A'ville a couple times that it has the feel of the hippy era, just in the 2000's instead of the 60's.

Cosby, TN (Cocke county)about 20 mi. east of Gatlinburg.... very minimal building codes. WHich I guess is good w/ a quality builder, otherwise, could be disastrous. Probably just under an hour to Knoxville. Newport, right next door has WalMArt, Lowe's, restaurants, hospitals, schools (school in Cosby, too), entrance to Smoky natl Park in Cosby.

I'm leaving central FL for one place or the other place. Cosby/Newport is growing rapidly as no state income tax in TN, but there is in NC. Overall, insurance, housing, taxes are less in both places compared to FL. I have found people friendly in both places, and I believe w/o a doubt, both offer a better quality of life.

Hope this is somewhat helpful.