Looking for a place to move

[omamia]

We moved here from San Diego and have been quite happy with the decision. It's just a more family friendly place to live and that was one of our primary reasons for coming. Though, San Diego does have awesome tourists destinations for families. In Southern California, I just felt like we were all alone in a vast wilderness of highways and asphalt. I also got tired of hearing about fatal accidents on the highway. It seemed like there was always a couch/fridge/whatever on the fast lane of the 5. Although people could be superficially friendly, it didn't really feel like anyone had your back. There's a great blog post about this feeling actually:
BLDGBLOG: Greater Los Angeles

We've met great friends here, there are tons of Cali transplants and I feel much more of a sense of community here. If you drive through some neighborhoods, people will wave to you just because you're driving by. Still can't get over that one.

The weather isn't SoCal but I like having seasons. This summer was rough for us because of the humidity but many said that this summer was unusual for how long it lasted. I'm really enjoying the fall and the trees and shade. We do miss the ocean and haven't had enough time to travel out to the coast here.

I realize that I may have different interests from you and really know nothing about the bar/club scene. If you like live music here though you will be very pleased. CH and Durham have awesome music scenes and there is a lot going on. If you like doing outdoor activities, there is a lot at your fingertips.

The housing situation is exponentially better. We could have never afforded a home in SoCal but who knows maybe that will change as things deflate.

So, think about trading In-N-Out for BBQ....Good luck!

[raleightransplant]

Originally Posted by Californiakid

I love LA , but I can't afford to live here--especially if I continue pursuing my state teaching credential. I want to move, but I am ignorant about living conditions in most of the nation.


I'm a 25 year old with a BA in History, a sexy/serious girlfriend, and a desire to move to a suburban or small city area. Looking at Raleigh's website and other city statistic sites has sparked an interest. There are plenty of colleges to continue our education, a decent cost of living, and there is a nightlife. There is even the weekend vacation to DC or the Atlantic coast.


So....how is the weather in Raleigh from a spoiled Californians point of view? Is there adequate medical services--my girlfriend has lyme and other complications that often need medical attention? What natural disasters does Raleigh face? Will the state run out of water in the near future? etc etc

Any tips about Raleigh, or for moving out of state in general would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not from California, but I'll tell you what I can based on having lived here. As mentioned by others, there is good medical care in the area. Probably one of the better areas on the east coast for that. Education is the calling card for this area, so I think you'll be quite happy with the universities.

Weather--summers can really suck here and we get some occasional wintry weather. Personally, I like a little winter weather every now and then. Other than that--it's absolutely wonderful. Beautiful fall and spring.

Location--This is undoubtedly the best part about this area to me. Wilmington beaches are 1.5 hours from Raleigh (take I-40 straight south/southeast from Raleigh), Blowing Rock/Boone and beautiful mountains are 3 hours away. Fun and funky Asheville is another hour west.

Visit Wrightsville Beach, NC

Boone Convention & Visitors Bureau [ www.visitboonenc.com ]

Also--DC is 4 hours north of Raleigh, and beautiful Charleston, SC is 4 hours south. Tough to beat those choices.

Triangle itself--Booming area and the downtown areas are revitalizing with plenty of restaurants and nightlife. Raleigh's on the move, but don't sleep on Durham. I think it's got amazing potential. Chapel Hill is a gem all it's own--check out Franklin Street and wander in to neighboring Carrboro. Very green w/ tons of trees and hilly in the Triangle...lots of lakes for recreation. Hiking trails can be accessed very easily.

People: I've found the people here to be very cool and laid back as a whole. Lots of families here, which I used to hate--but now I'm understanding that it softens life a little here to have that aspect.

Best of luck!

[urbywan]

If you are planning on teaching here full time get ready for a low salary . your girlfriend will have to work to help with the finances. Here is a link to the wake county teachers salary guideshttp://www.wcpss.net/HumanResources/salary-schedules/. Then you will pay 6.75% toward your pension every month and if you get married you will pay around 400 a month to have medical insurance for her. Its a nice area, growing like mad, but it will take another 25 years for it to be a pain.

Good luck.

[suncat]

It seems like there are lots of transplanted Californians in the Triangle. Ever thought of getting an informal group together?

[citydweller]

Although more formal I found this one from meetup.com. (broken link)

[Gurl]

Originally Posted by raleightransplant

Weather--summers can really suck here and we get some occasional wintry weather.

I've found the summers to be quite mild compared to other areas I've lived. In NYC, Los Angeles, Atlanta, PA, etc, the summers would be so humid I complained the entire season. Here, it gets 'hot', but it's not so humid that you can't enjoy yourself (imo).

Originally Posted by omamia

If you drive through some neighborhoods, people will wave to you just because you're driving by. Still can't get over that one.

I've been here almost 2 years, and I can't get over it, either. The first few months, it kind of freaked me out.

Originally Posted by suncat

It seems like there are lots of transplanted Californians in the Triangle. Ever thought of getting an informal group together?

Sounds cool!

[ncitgal]

I moved out from OC two years ago. If you are planning to marry your girlfriend and/or have children, this is really the place to be. Its wonderful for families. But as a couple, there are plenty of great places to see in the mountains, coast and the northeast. Having DC close is awesome and we go at least once a year. Things are a little further here than LA...the beach is 2 hrs, mountains 3.5-4 hrs. DC is 5 hrs.

People are wonderful and its a great mix here...but totally different than CA. People are much more warm and friendly here.

Actually, our living expenses aren't drastically different than CA, because we had purchased our home back in 1997 out there. We essentially cashed out there and bought double (or triple) the house in a fantastic neighborhood for the same price here. So our quality of life is drastically improved, but bills aren't much lower. Income is good so no problems with that.

I like hot weather, so I love the long hot summers here. No marine layer here!!! Not a big fan of cold, so Jan & Feb aren't the best, but the little snow we got this year was fun. The whole town shuts down and has a snow day. I like the weather. Spring and Fall are absolutely beautiful.

[Californiakid]

Thank you all for the great feed back. It will be some time before I'm ready to move, but Raleigh is on the top of the list at the moment.

[LeighCRoberts42]

Moved here from Atlanta area 6 yrs ago and love it. You will be blown away at how easy it is to enjoy the things a big city can offer without the hassel that usually goes with it. My husband and I have been downtown more times in 6 years than in 30 years in GA. You can go see a broadway show and be home in your PJs before the 11 news - OR still have time to get a great seat at RumRunners before it's standing room only.... whichever you like. And the medical facilities for your sweetie are BY FAR some of the best in the world. less than 30 mins to DUKE or UNC ..... It doesn't get any better....
Good Luck

[CHlady]

I also moved to NC from CA and I like it here a lot. I lived in Southern CA and so I had perfect weather but I like the weather here in NC better. You don't take those perfect days so much for granted here like we did in CA. I enjoy the cool, brisk mornings and the wind and lightening storms that roll in and the beautiful colors we are now getting.
Mostly, though, I like the people here better than CA. People are much more interesting and not so self-absorbed like so many Californians. Everyone here is so friendly and they seem to value more important things like the environment, education, global issues. So many of my neighbors in CA drove Hummers while talking on their cell phones and throwing their Starbucks trash out the car window!