Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am not sure why we are comparing Raleigh to Austin anyway. If the OP likes Austin better, then she should stay there. If you like where you live better, that is great. For many people, Raleigh fits the bill. For others, there are thousands of other cities out there that are right for each and every person. I personally would never live in TX, no matter how great the singles or music scene is, because of its geographical location. I don't live at live music shows even though I do like to see live music on the weekends, it doesn't have to be every day, or every weekend for that matter. I like to travel and go do things outdoors, such as hike in the moutains or take a trip to the lighthouses on the coast. I like being able to take road trips to DC, NYC, Atlanta, etc.
So, Raleigh works for me: there is live music just about every night of the week if you really want it (and no, it's not toothless "rednecks"). There is a growing art scene, that I can see really fluorishing in the next couple of years. There are outdoor community events quite often, way more than the large city I grew up in. There is a large singles base over 25 - most of my friends fit into this group (even some over 40, imagine that!). Downtown is experiencing a renaissance, and I think the yet untapped potential is really great - people are starting to really see what downtown can be, and the city is on board trying to make it into something good. I'm really excited to be experiencing the beginning of these changes and see how things shape up over time, because I have seen lots of good things happening in just one year's time. And not to mention the proximity of three great universities, of which I plan to take advantage to further my education.
I'm not trying to say that Raleigh is perfect, or even better than other cities. Each city is what each person makes of it, and each city offers it's own unique attributes. No two will offer the same things. Austin is probably an awesome place that I would really enjoy (from what I've heard, I've never been there). We have friends there, so perhaps we'll visit some day. I just know that due to where it is located, it's not for me.
But to say that Raleigh is essentially a wasteland of all things that Austin offers, I think is not exactly accurate. I could see how someone might make that judgement based on how the area might have been a few years ago (I don't know, wasn't here) or from only a short visit where they didn't really get into the meat of the area. But that doesn't mean those are accurate judgements - only opinions, which everyone is entitled to.
I haven't read all the posts, but I have seen a lot of posts defending the Triangle. Well, here's a slightly different perspective from one Texan to another: I lived in Raleigh for a little more than four years (1998-2002), and it was a fairly miserable experience.
The first thing I encountered upon arrival was an outrageous fee structure just to get our cars registered. We had to go to a dingy little office in an ancient mall somewhere, and then had extorted from us hundreds of dollars in registration, license plate fees, road and bridge fees, etc. What we didn't realize is that it was just the beginning - about a month later we got a bill for the personal property taxes on our cars to the tune of several hundred dollars more. And that was on two older pickup trucks - I hate to imagine what the tax would be on a Jag! Now you know why you saw so many beaters in driveways - folks can't afford the "personal property tax" on new cars. If you don't pay it, the state (county?) will come and "repossess" your license plates. I even got contacted by a collections agency about failure to pay my automobile personal property tax almost two years after I was back in Texas! Also, remember NC has income tax - figure what you are earning and lop about six percent right off the top. And then there's the sales tax on everything including food (although the food is taxed at a lower rate than other items).
Next we went to get our vehicles inspected, only to be abused by a seemingly racist inspector at the Jiffy Lube. This guy spoke to us like we were dogs, found several problems with our vehicles (that had never been a problem before), and failed both. The lady preceding us in line, who was of the same ethnicity as the inspector, was greeted warmly and passed inspection after a cursory examination. This sort of racism was a new experience for me coming from central Texas, and it took me awhile to recognize it as a pattern as it was entirely alien to me. We had similar experiences in grocery stores, fast food places, etc. over time.
Our next stop was at the home we had arranged to rent. The landlord and his wife met us at the house and commenced to essentially scold us as proxies for the former tenant who had not left the house NICER than when he moved in. They told us that they had only given a full deposit refund to one tenant WHO HAD PAINTED AND WALLPAPERED THE ENTIRE HOUSE AND LANDSCAPED THE BACKYARD. They actually said "some renters think they can just live in a house." Incidentally, we got none of our $925 deposit back (big surprise). We encountered quite a bit of similar "graspiness" while in the area - nobody wants to let something slip away for nothing. Even state government makes employees make up days when they have declared weather-related closings. "You couldn't come to work because we were closed during a hurricane, so we'll generously give you a year to make up the time you missed." NC State University even came up with a way to force employees to use vacation during the Christmas holiday closure by using the approach of "we're closed for the holidays, so you can't work, but a couple of those aren't days off - you have to take vacation." ???? Ridiculous!
What else? Expensive housing, slow commutes through bad traffic (ask the residents of Knightdale about that), horrible state roads once you get away from main city streets and federally funded highways. I've traveled farm-to-market roads in Texas that were wider and in better repair than state highways in NC. Also, you have the whole weird "Cary mentality" to deal with: people who think that they are better than everyone else by virtue of their address. I remember some people being outraged because the lived in Cary but were assigned an Apex zip code. The indignant cry of "I didn't move to Cary to have an Apex zip code" was heard more than once. Who cares? They do. Of course, equally snobby North Raleighians would sniff and say in the most dismissive of tones that "Cary" stood for "Can't Afford Raleigh Yet." Indeed a bizarre place.
One more note: despite what some have said, your observations about Durham were right on target and you were smart to keep driving. This isn't just my opinion either; just look at the crime stats atModerator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed . The murder rate is more than twice the national average. Yeah - it's a nice place to stay the heck out of.
The bottom line: follow the advice already given and stay in Texas. There is nothing in the Triangle that I can think of that is a step up from Austin. I got back to Texas as soon as I could, and am glad every day when I wake up in a place that is not Raleigh, North Carolina. I know why you wept.
We moved from New Orleans to the Westgrove Apts in West Raleigh in 1989. The apt manager, Melissa, was just as sweet as can be. She would take our son in the office and teach him things. Her husband was in the USAF and Melissa really wanted a baby.
Our neighbors in the complex were diverse ethnicity with many being NCSU students. One family took our son to bible class with them every week.
We expected the zap with car taxes. Same in Louisiana, bend over. They charge you 9% in Jefferson Parish and only give credit for the state portion of any tax you paid in your old state.
Shame you didn't check this stuff out before coming here.
Apparently, you moved into an elitist neighborhood. West Raleigh was very accepting and diverse. I'd never live in Cary, but that's my opinion.
Good Lord, VeeEight. I have lived here for almost 11 years and have never experienced anything remotely as bizarre as what you've described, and I've lived in Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Chatham County and just outside Carrboro. I don't know where you lived, but I have been blessed with wonderful neighbors and good times. When I post, I'm not so much "defending" this area as I am sharing my own experiences.
Though I tend to tease the Cary lifestyle and modern treeless subdivisions and I'm a Durham and Carrboro at heart, I have friends I respect who really enjoy living in Cary. It's not for me, unless we're talking about the older neighborhoods downtown, but I guess there are some people who like that kind of lifestyle.
VeeEight, if you think all that was bad, whatever you do, don't ever move to a real big city. Everything you mentioned is way mild compared to many other places. I am glad you are happy in Texas. It sounds like it's a tax-free, crime-free, traffic-free, snob-free utopia.
how many topics on this forum are started by single professionals who are older than 25 who are looking to move to Raleigh?
I resemble that remark. Okay, maybe I've only started one or two threads, but I do participate by posting comments.
I've been to Austin, and I don't see the appeal. Yes, the music scene is good, but the people were just as pretentious as in every other alternative/progressive/veggie-friendly/"keep [insert city's name here] weird" place. It reminded me of Portland but with better weather.
Glad you're happy in Houston, but must you continually bash Raleigh? Aren't there better things to do?
I'm just telling of my experiences as a Texan who lived in NC briefly. If it comes off as bashing, then whatever it is it is. I don't take this seriously enough to care. I'm just someone who works mostly online (a telecommuter), have a wi-fi laptop and an offbeat, admittedly nerdish interest in urban planning. That said, the Triangle's constant struggle with unbridled growth remains intriguing if anything to me even after having experienced it firsthand.
I do not always bash Raleigh. Go read the thread where I laud the local sports scene that I still miss. In this same thread I shed light on Raleigh's underground music scene since it was a thread about Austin compared with Raleigh.
The OP is moving to Raleigh to get her Ph.D. at NCSU. So this is a legitimate thread, whether it was what people wanted to read this afternoon.
Yeah VeeEight don't move to Northern VA ever, snobs everywhere and traffic will make you pull your hair out...oh and crazy housing prices. They also have car taxes there that are about the same as they are in NC, although they did roll back some of them recently.
I will agree with you on one thing though. About the license plate agency in the old run down strip mall in Cary. I had to pay $500 to register my wife's and my car and they were very rude in that place. With that being said Raleigh has been a great choice for us. The people are nice, the weather is fantasic (hot summers, but so was DC), the traffic is much lighter then in any major city, and the property taxes are lower than most major cities in texas, not to mention anywhere in the Northeastern big cities.
Sounds like you were determined to never actually like it here.
I'm just telling of my experiences as a Texan who lived in NC briefly. If it comes off as bashing, then whatever it is it is. I don't take this seriously enough to care. I'm just someone who works mostly online (a telecommuter), have a wi-fi laptop and an offbeat, admittedly nerdish interest in urban planning. That said, the Triangle's constant struggle with unbridled growth remains intriguing if anything to me even after having experienced it firsthand.
I do not always bash Raleigh. Go read the thread where I laud the local sports scene that I still miss. In this same thread I shed light on Raleigh's underground music scene since it was a thread about Austin compared with Raleigh.
The OP is moving to Raleigh to get her Ph.D. at NCSU. So this is a legitimate thread, whether it was what people wanted to read this afternoon.
I don't see your posts as bashing......its a good thing to have balance and this board doesn't always have that.
The Triangle isn't right for everyone, but that doesn't make it wrong for those who like it....seems some people take offense too easily if others don't see this area as nirvana.
Personally, I am over 40 with 3 young kids who are very much into soccer and this area is PERFECT for us....
If I were under 30 though, single or married w/o kids I think I would be bored beyond beyond tears......
I never lived more than 15 mins from downtown Boston when I was under 30 and I wouldn't trade my time there for here at the same age...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Everything you mentioned is way mild compared to many other places. I am glad you are happy in Texas. It sounds like it's a tax-free, crime-free, traffic-free, snob-free utopia.
