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-Raleigh's not as busy or fast-paced as Charlotte. That might appeal to families more.
-Charlotte has a better transportation hub
-Job market is better in Raleigh
-Raleigh has better schools
-Charlotte closer to mountains
-Raleigh closer to beach
-Charlotte has much better nightlife
-Raleigh's safer statistically
-Raleigh real estate is more expensive
Yes, it was a vacation because my husband was laid off in 2010 after being with his company for 12 years. Now that he is with a new company since 2011, he is starting over with vacation time and we've had to use his to help get my mom's house ready to be sold as she is sick and lives with us now and my FIL is rapidly going down hill in the health department so we needed to use what my husband had left to go look in on his parents. It's all in perception. His parents still took time to take us to a couple of very nice places as it was our first time there since they moved from FL and in EVERY place, there was no shortage of nice, happy people whether it was a restaurant or the movies. Completely took me by surprise! How sad is that?! LOL
While down there though, we realized that my husband's parents need help and don't have any, but they are in no position to sell their home as the ones in their development are going for much less than they purchased theirs for already. I just don't know that I can be 7 hours from the beach plus, my husband's company has the perfect job opening in Raleigh which would certainly make things a WHOLE lot easier on us and he's with a very good company now so we would be extra excited if he could just transfer with them.
As far as what's an arm and a leg...we live in NY near Saratoga Springs. If I put a search in for a 5 bd house on at least 2 acres for less than $400,000, it returns NOTHING as the search result. We have a 3 bd house right now that we are busting at the seams of on a third of an acre. Our house is valued at about $240K and our property taxes are almost $5,000...for about 1,500 sq ft above ground. That's absurd in my opinion.
We've looked at going back to MD, but the schools aren't that great, traffic and attitudes suck, and real estate is only slightly better at maybe somewhere in the $300K - $400K range with maybe an acre and taxes at roughtly $3,200 to $4,200. We've looked at WV (good schools, safe, much more bang for your buck) and so far that has been the front runner. We've also looked at various parts of VA such as Winchester and now since our drive down and up 77 - Fancy Gap (we think that's it...). Real estate costs more but like WV, taxes are great, but don't know much else. Then we spent a few days in NC. Because we drove, we stopped off in Winchester/Martinsburg on the way down and back and in less than 24 hours in Martinsburg, I was picking up on the attitudes of the people taking our orders when we would stop to get food. Completely different from NC and not in a good way.
My biggest concern is the schools and how the extended years are handled there which doesn't seem to be every school. Having children in elementary and middle schools, this is concerning to me. It's something I always thought I'd be against, but I have to say since visiting the boards here, my interest is peaked. I think a 3 week break every few months sounds like a great mental holiday, opportunity to travel throughout the year, and would certainly make it even easier to visit the in-laws for longer than a weekend which is something I'd be very willing to do even during school (figuring I could drive over on a Friday afternoon and come back Sunday evening every other week or every third week).
Charlotte is more urban, with a light rail center, high rise Uptown Condos and Apartments, 1.8 million people in its Metro, a larger international airport with a hub (US Airways), two professional sports teams, and a renown skyline. Raleigh is more suburban, but its downtown is growing rapidly in urbanity. Raleigh also has a better-educated and more affluent population as a whole. Raleigh also more Mid-Atlantic and less Southern than Charlotte, mainly due to its geographic location. Raleigh is only 3.5 hours from DC, whereas Charlotte is just 4 hours from Atlanta. Traffic is worse in Charlotte than Raleigh, and the roads are better in the Triangle. Also, colleges and universities have a much higher profile and impact in the Triangle than Charlotte. Raleigh is hotter in summer, but more prone to major snowstorms and cold waves in winter than Charlotte.
People keep comparing downtown Raleigh and downtown Charlotte. The thing is most peopl on this forum are talking about living in the suburbs. If you live in the suburbs of Raleigh or Charlotte I really don't see much difference between the two areas. I visit my friends in Charlotte all the time. They live in the suburbs. Feels just like life here in north Raleigh.
Fwiw, I am not sure if I read it right, but Charlotte is not 7 hours from the beach!
As far as what's an arm and a leg...we live in NY near Saratoga Springs. If I put a search in for a 5 bd house on at least 2 acres for less than $400,000, it returns NOTHING as the search result. We have a 3 bd house right now that we are busting at the seams of on a third of an acre. Our house is valued at about $240K and our property taxes are almost $5,000...for about 1,500 sq ft above ground. That's absurd in my opinion.
Are you searching for homes in NY or NC using that criteria? If Raleigh, I think your problem with the housing search is the "two acres". FWIW and despite what many have thought prior to coming to the Triangle, it isn't some sort of bucolic utopia where everyone sits on acreage. It's a rapidly growing metro with a large collection of cities and towns that abut each other. There are large lots but they are either associated with enormous houses, are way out in the country or are a needle in a haystack. There are many, many, many nice houses in established neighborhoods on a 1/3 to 1/2 acre but larger is rare in that price range.
My husband's company has an opening in Raleigh so, while I know it's 3 hours away from Charlotte, how do the areas compare? Traffic didn't seem too crazy which is something I've heard is horrible in the Apex/Cary area.
Depending where you're from in MD and NY, it's really relative.
If you're from either of the Beltway areas, you'll not even notice the 'traffic' in Apex or Cary
NY...I doubt anywhere in NC holds a candle to traffic in NYC.
If you're from MD's Eastern Shore or Western MD (except 70 around Fredrick), you might think it is a little congested - but nothing to fear.
I don't have much experience with upstate NY, but it's probably similar to rural NC.
Can't help with the home-search stuff, but I hope the traffic info helps.
Public transportation is sparse and the roads are almost 100% unlighted and designed by halfwits.
If your night vision is poor, prepare to stay home nights. That's what I miss about NYC and other big cities I resided in before coming to Raleigh from New Orleans in 1989.
I think there's too much light in the area. I have to go out of town even in Chapel Hill to see the stars. Way too much light pollution.
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I just don't know that I can be 7 hours from the beach plus, my husband's company has the perfect job opening in Raleigh which would certainly make things a WHOLE lot easier on us and he's with a very good company now so we would be extra excited if he could just transfer with them.
