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Coming from NY/LI, I found there to be a good amount of quick getaways that are an easy drive. By easy I mean we don' typically hit traffic like we did trying to go anywhere from LI. The wine country in yadkin valley is beautiful and an easy day trip ( don't drink too much if driving). Asheville is a very easy 3 hour drive. Charleston and Savannah are further, about 5 hours, but again, very easy drives. Wrightsville beach is beautiful and about 2-2.5 hours away. We have done it in a day and it was fine. Did it on a Saturday in August and didn't hit any traffic at all. Atlanta is 5-5.5 hours away. We have driven that and it was easy, but you never know what sort of traffic you will hit in ATL. And Charlotte is only 2 hours away I think. But I still haven't made it there. And there are lots of smaller areas that we have yet to visit, but would like to like Winston-Salem Charlottesville, and Richmond.
Good to know, thanks!! Those are the type of road trips I love.
Cost of living is awesome. Culturally speaking, forget about it. Yes it appears all new and shiny but the finish wears off. After (2) years, there, would still love to hear your experience.
You both may be right. See where I am now in NJ, I hate it (except for being able to travel to a lot of places away from here). So maybe just about anywhere else would look fabulous to me, but I tried to see the Raleigh area without rose colored glasses, and if I would be happy staying here for years. It's hard to decide that in only a few days trip time. However I'll be very busy. I'll be attending grad school and working as a new nurse. The university I'm at now for my BSN is VERY SMALL. That has pros and cons. But I feel like I'd like something different. Right now I am in the middle of crime (drugs), pollution, and other unpleasant things, and I really do hate it and would not be happy at all to stay here. I like some areas of north NJ, and I like the Princeton area, but the taxes and houses are a very high cost.
I'm visiting Tampa in the summer, because that's another area we're considering moving to. I love being outdoors (this will sound crazy but me and my mom kept saying "listen - I hear birds!" a lot during this trip since we DON'T here) and I think I'll like the Raleigh area better but I'll have to wait and see.
We explored some of VA too. It's very pretty too, like NC, and I loved it but we couldn't really find a city to meet all our needs including cost, out of Richmond, Williamsburg, and Charlottesville. I loved Charlottesville but my mom didn't she felt like it was too far from civilization.
If I wasn't moving with my mom, honestly I'd look at Cambridge MA or other states out west, but my mom wants the east coast and south. I don't think I could afford grad school living on my own. Thanks again for reading and your thoughts.
This area is getting way more expensive as people move here and enormous burdens are being are put on taxpayers for infrastructure needs not covered by impact fees.
The tax structure is favoring the wealthy and business at the detriment of moderate income citizens.
Be sure to get informed about the bigoted, unfair Republican legislature that has many times made NC a prime contender for dumbest state in the US.
Having spent a year in Edison Township, I understand your desire to leave NJ. Please don't jump from the frying pan into the fire. Evaluate your situation and cost of living here.
This area is getting way more expensive as people move here and enormous burdens are being are put on taxpayers for infrastructure needs not covered by impact fees.
The tax structure is favoring the wealthy and business at the detriment of moderate income citizens.
Be sure to get informed about the bigoted, unfair Republican legislature that has many times made NC a prime contender for dumbest state in the US.
Having spent a year in Edison Township, I understand your desire to leave NJ. Please don't jump from the frying pan into the fire. Evaluate your situation and cost of living here.
So aside from not enough public transportation and taxes on the rise (but don't forget NJ has the highest property tax in the US!), why do you use that idiom about jumping into fire? I don't know what all to look for maybe when I consider a new place to move.
These are what I mainly look at:
Crime
Job availability/pay
College town and a good nursing grad school is a bonus
Cost of houses and taxes, and if the neighborhood looks taken care of
Enough of a younger population/families
Climate
Industrialization
Outdoor activities (parks, hiking, sports, etc)
Nearby cities and road trips
Last edited by Abirdinahand; 04-17-2017 at 12:29 PM..
Sort of...the Raleigh area seems more family friendly but that was just from my little bit of research and not first hand experience. Do you think Charlotte is a better area?
Not necessarily better but downtown is more developed urban feel if you're looking for a more city feel close by and they have public transit train.
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