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.
As a lot of the locals and long time residents ask why Yankee transplants get so excited about the Triangle area, I would like to hear from my fellow New Englanders. I am sure everyone has different reasons, so please elighten everyone. What are the differences you have experienced between both locations?
For me:
I could not stand the winters any longer. Way too expensive to heat. Normal heating bills up north were $450 per month. Here $75
Real estate tax way too much up there. 1.65% - 2.5% depending on location. Here about 1.05% and soon to go down to .59%.
Culture up north is uptight and somewhat rude. Here I have been welcomed with open arms like I am family.
Houses up north were bland and poor quality overall. Here, homes have much more detail and overall better quality.
Schools up north were not very good. Wake county schools much better.
Government stands in your way up north - too much red tape and fees for everything. Here, government run much better and in concert with business & residents.
Growth non existent in western MA. No business, no jobs, no future. Triangle growth managed exceptionally well benefiting residents & business. Great present & future.
Bored up north with nothing to do. No parks, greenways or facilities. Here everyday is an adventure. It's great.
As a lot of the locals and long time residents ask why Yankee transplants get so excited about the Triangle area, I would like to hear from my fellow New Englanders. I am sure everyone has different reasons, so please elighten everyone. What are the differences you have experienced between both locations?
For me:
I could not stand the winters any longer. Way too expensive to heat. Normal heating bills up north were $450 per month. Here $75
Real estate tax way too much up there. 1.65% - 2.5% depending on location. Here about 1.05% and soon to go down to .59%.
Culture up north is uptight and somewhat rude. Here I have been welcomed with open arms like I am family.
Houses up north were bland and poor quality overall. Here, homes have much more detail and overall better quality.
Schools up north were not very good. Wake county schools much better.
Government stands in your way up north - too much red tape and fees for everything. Here, government run much better and in concert with business & residents.
Growth non existent in western MA. No business, no jobs, no future. Triangle growth managed exceptionally well benefiting residents & business. Great present & future.
Bored up north with nothing to do. No parks, greenways or facilities. Here everyday is an adventure. It's great.
I'm still here but not in Western MA. I'm in metro West Boston but I'll take on your list! I agree with you about winters, heating costs, taxes, uptight culture, and loony politics/government. Perhaps it's because I'm in metrowest and not western MA, but I have to disagree with you about the schools (although we still want to move, I believe we're going to make a trade-off with schools, no matter where we wind up in the Triangle). I don't know about growth. Land in and around Boston is at a premium and pretty much maxed out so growth is really a non-issue. The architecture here is something I will miss. Quaint churches, lovely Cape Cod style homes, colonials, etc.---nothing bland about the architecture here. But that could again be a factor of Boston and its burbs vs. Western MA. But I've also found the older homes/developments in the Triangle to have their own charm--different than, but certainly nothing less than New England charm. I find there is lots to do here but traffic and expense can get in the way. I don't think that will be a tradeoff as it seems there's lots to do in the Triangle too.
Hm, let's see. We moved here kind of arbitrarily--we could just as easily moved to Texas or Florida or anywhere, really. But we ended up here and I'm so happy.
What we like:
weather--I have a yard full of daffodils instead of snow.
housing--We finally were able to afford to buy a home (!)
commute--husband has a 20-minute (tops) commute, versus 1-hr plus (down rt.3 and 128--is there anything worse?)
culture--yes, it's true! what I love most about the culture/music scene here is how accessible it is. It's not as active as Cambridge/Boston, but any night of the week, we can go out and see a good band, a good play, etc., without the parking hassles or the nightmarish Boston drivers. We loved the Boston scene, but living in the city wasn't affordable for us, and driving 50 miles roundtrip whenever we wanted to go out made us live like hermits. We get out a lot more now (or did, before the baby came along....)
dining--there's an excellent food scene here that isn't snobbish like it is in Boston. just good chefs who like to cook and don't infuse their restaurants with attitude.
people--we've felt welcomed here from the day we moved into our sublet 3 years ago. I don't know if this is due to the area being full of people who aren't from around here, or due to the kinds of people who choose to move here, or the traditional Southern hospitality you hear about, but it's definitely friendlier than New England.
I miss the Red Sox. I miss lobster rolls. I miss our friends. I miss being an hour or less from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. But I don't think I'll ever leave my new home in Durham...
As a lot of the locals and long time residents ask why Yankee transplants get so excited about the Triangle area, I would like to hear from my fellow New Englanders. I am sure everyone has different reasons, so please elighten everyone. What are the differences you have experienced between both locations?
For me:
I could not stand the winters any longer. Way too expensive to heat. Normal heating bills up north were $450 per month. Here $75
Real estate tax way too much up there. 1.65% - 2.5% depending on location. Here about 1.05% and soon to go down to .59%.
Culture up north is uptight and somewhat rude. Here I have been welcomed with open arms like I am family.
Houses up north were bland and poor quality overall. Here, homes have much more detail and overall better quality.
Schools up north were not very good. Wake county schools much better.
Government stands in your way up north - too much red tape and fees for everything. Here, government run much better and in concert with business & residents.
Growth non existent in western MA. No business, no jobs, no future. Triangle growth managed exceptionally well benefiting residents & business. Great present & future.
Bored up north with nothing to do. No parks, greenways or facilities. Here everyday is an adventure. It's great.
Sounds great. but only $75.00 for heat? Sounds awfully cheap...
From Rhode Islanders who are moving to the Triangle in 5 weeks:
RI is in serious fiscal trouble and our taxes are exhorbitant
1200 sf starter home here close to $300K
Tired on snow, ice and salt laden cars!
Electric/gas bills in Triangle about 50% of cost here
People are actually friendly, welcoming AND courteous in Triangle!
More relaxed lifestyle in NC
I look at it like this. Why not move? An amazing thing happened over 100 hundred years ago. The automobile was invented allowing anyone to go wherever they want. While I think there is some charm to the idea of staying in the same town/city they were raised in for their whole lives I also think that leaves people very closed minded. I personally feel that home is where you lay your hat and the triangle is as good as a hat rack as any other, just a little less expensive!
I feel like the OP was asking why Raleigh, more than why move away from that area, right? I moved from Texas, so cannot relate in that respect. What I will say though, from knowing the East coast, is that Raleigh is probably the first real viable city I'd consider when coming down the Eastern border from the colder New England states. PA is still too far North. DC and Northern VA, do I even need to say anything? That's out. Richmond, VA, my parents live there, but it's not really an option otherwise, although they keep telling me that it's shifting more towards a young professional society. I think that basically Raleigh is the first city that you come to that doesn't have any major hangups, when coming from up North. That's just my guess, because I have wondered why everyone in my neighborhood is from up North
I feel like the OP was asking why Raleigh, more than why move away from that area, right?
I am looking for the reasons why Yankees move to the Triangle area, so long time residents of the Triangle can grasp a better understanding of why we chose to invade this area. Both what they have found to be better here and what they did not like where they came from. I am trying to draw the contrast between a growing area that is a hot spot in the country and where a person came from. However, non Yanks feel free to express your observations, just please include what state you moved from so we can all be more knowledgable.
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.
