Non-military may move to Fayetteville area...Any Advise?
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My husband and I lived in the Fayetteville area for 3 years and I am from SW PA and it was not my style at all. It takes 2 times as long as you would think to get any where. It's extremely over crowded and dirty. Bragg blvd is probably the worst main road. You can see prostitutes there regularly. If you work in Fayetteville LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE PLACE! We lived in Spring Lake and it was pretty quiet. I recommend Southern Pines or Spring Lake if you don't mind back roads driving. About 30 min from Southern Pines and 15-20 minutes from Spring Lake. Sanford is also an option it's 30-45 minutes to Fayetteville. We are moving back for a year and I am dreading it. Good luck!
My husband and I lived in the Fayetteville area for 3 years and I am from SW PA and it was not my style at all. It takes 2 times as long as you would think to get any where. It's extremely over crowded and dirty. Bragg blvd is probably the worst main road. You can see prostitutes there regularly. If you work in Fayetteville LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE PLACE! We lived in Spring Lake and it was pretty quiet. I recommend Southern Pines or Spring Lake if you don't mind back roads driving. About 30 min from Southern Pines and 15-20 minutes from Spring Lake. Sanford is also an option it's 30-45 minutes to Fayetteville. We are moving back for a year and I am dreading it. Good luck!
Yes, Southern Pines would be a great option to live. Very pretty area.
Geesh! I spent a couple of weeks there on the way back from Florida one spring. I loved it! Of course spring is nice nearly everywhere. I have also lived in Manhattan and several other places around the country so have some perspective.
I didn't care for the downtown, not fond of brick municipal buildings, or the city's outskirt developments as much although the later were beautiful there wasn't much else around them. The places near the new shopping mall strips, a main drag, and not far from the base was most comfortable to me. Traffic wasn't bad, there are very nice houses, and shopping is great.
You have to like being in a military town, which I do, as they're all over in and out of uniform. The Special Forces Museum is interesting. The better part of that feature is many have traveled all over the globe and therefore are more interesting than average. Loved the German deli and bakery (Hi!). I didn't have much problem with Southern culture even as a Northerner having had a gggrandfather in the Confederate Army. This is sometimes a problem in the South as the subject is still very much alive.
If someone had told me it would be a place I felt comfortable I would have been skeptical for sure. It's hard to tell which places anyone will be attracted to. You just have to go there yourself to see. Southern Pines and Chappel Hill are both nice.
I spent a day driving around Fort Bragg. I like Lillington and I especially like Southern Pines. It did seem that Southern Pines is a long trip to Fayetteville though. A realtor gave me directions through Fort Bragg, but I may have gotten a bit lost. It took almost an hour with no traffic. I never got a chance to see Spring Lake. I thought the area just north of Fayetteville on Route 401 was OK as well. The people that I did meet on the street and in shops were extremely friendly and helpful. If you are friendly in NJ you want something from me.
I did think that Fayetteville was not an attractive city. But I would only be working there, not living there. I commuted in from Dunn one morning and from Lillington another and did not see any problems with traffic (I am from NJ, so that may be relative.). I am not looking for excitement. I am a stay at home type of perosn that will see the inside of a bar abiout once every 6 months, so night life is not a factor.
relocating to Fayetteville and wondered how I would do in a largely military town. My problem is not knowing which areas to avoid. It doesn't sound to good there considering I actually like where I am living and am moving due to finances.
I have three children, one going to high school and one going to middle school. The last one is a baby so I will need daycare options. What are the best school districts in Fayetteville? And is it better to live on the outskirts instead of in the city itself? Do they have activities to do there for the whole family?
In Fayetteville, the best school district is the Terry Sanford school district although the Grays Creek has two good elementary schools. Good luck with your move!
I did think that Fayetteville was not an attractive city. But I would only be working there, not living there. I commuted in from Dunn one morning and from Lillington another and did not see any problems with traffic (I am from NJ, so that may be relative.). I am not looking for excitement. I am a stay at home type of perosn that will see the inside of a bar abiout once every 6 months, so night life is not a factor.
We live in Dunn and my husband commutes to Fayetteville (Pope AFB) every day. it's about 40 minutes. and you're right about the traffic, there isn't very much (we lived in NJ for 7 yrs, there is no traffic compared to there) I am not a fan of Fayetteville. From Dunn, we're closer to Garner or Raleigh for shopping and dining out. I like those areas better.
Sanford (Lee County) is just north of Spring Lake and Fayetteville. It's about a 30 min. commute to Ft. Bragg and 45 mins. further into Fayetteville, down Hwy. 87. 4 lanes and minimal traffic.
Sanford also puts you closer to Cary/Raleigh/Chapel Hill and Southern Pines, anywhere from 30-45mins., depending where you are going in those areas.
It's a nice town on its own.
When we moved to this area (20 years ago), we looked at towns b/w Ft. Bragg and the Triangle, and liked Sanford better than Dunn and some of the other places.
I just started working in the Spring lake area however I have been the Fayetteville area for about 8 years. As with any place there are ups and downs, positives and negitives. I am a firm believer of making my home where ever I happen to live. As for schools I know of a few that I relly like. You might want to look into the school of choice program too. It really assisted me. Hoke county is a good place to build, it is a farming area that is building up fairly quickly. School out there are not so good from what I have been told. Harnett County has a couple of good schools and it is good to build. There are alot of huge beautiful homes out there as well as smaller trailer communities.
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