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There are huge differences between life in Durham and Wiltshire and if you dont drive you are in for a massive shock. The roads around here are not in greatest condition so the chances of falling off a small motor cycle / scooter when wet and slippery are very high - you need to be in a car for your safety and dont forget you ride on the wrong side of the road
another difference is how spread out the Triangle is compared to compact England; every trip is like going from Salisbury to Southampton and back again - imagine that with your Tesco bag on bicycle handlebars
If you sell your house in England not only do you expose yourself to a risk of prices in UK rising faster than here (which they will again next year) but you also open yourself to the exchange rate risk of the dollar continuing to weaken against other currencies. The issue here is if you dont like it here then you have a financial complexity to overcome as well as the cultural one.
my recomendation would be for both your family to visit for a week and see how you all like it before taking such a big step - but best of luck whatever you decide
Here are a couple of photos of Piney Wood Park. The new equipment is sooooo fun.
Those photos rock!! Thanks for posting them. Can you tell what time of day most or part of the play equiptment is in the shade? I see shade starting to encroach on your photos. We are still heat weenies. So we like the shade. Otherwise we'll visit it in the early am. Thanks!!
It was a little after noon. It was pretty warm, but there was shade in the bench area. It's a shady area in general, except right in the middle of the playground. With these 100 deg days, mornings or late afternoons would be best.
I will do a search of the forum for Woodcroft and read them.
I just wanted to clarify a few things with regards to scooters I don't actually ride them I ride motorbikes I have a full UK licence and 6years no claims.
I was asking about hiring one purely if we come to visit as petrol/gas is expensive at the moment.
My wife drives and has been for many years but from what I've read they don't honour no-claims from overseas?? correct me if I'm wrong?
Are there many motorbikes about in the triangle area I would have though it would be popular due to the climate?
I've had a look at the route along NC-54 I see what you mean there isn't alot of room assuming the white line is the marker for pedestrians.We are really into cycling and cycle 30miles here occasionally not sure we can do it in Carolina heat though
I'm not really that bothered about swimming its more for my wife and daughter if I go it will be in the Atlantic.
I'm not to worried about the size of the house although I do need 3 bedrooms minimum to allow for family visits. I love the idea of some of the condo's that were posted by North Raleigh Guy in Raleigh but there expensive I don't suppose there are any cheaper ones in Durham?
Lastly is that right that the nearest Krispy kreme is all the way in Raleigh.
I've noticed a few people having said about taxes in Durham being more compared to how much?
I used to live in the Southpoint area of Durham, before I moved just down the road to the newer section of Cary. The property taxes where I lived in Durham were about 45% higher than where I live in Cary now. Huge difference. That was one of the big factors in our moving out of the Durham city limits, which keep expanding. The housing prices in the Southern Durham area on the south side of The Streets at Southpoint mall, where I was considering buying another home, and where I now live in Cary are around the same. I added a few miles to my work commute, but eliminated a lot of excess evening and weekend miles, as now I am closer to the things I used to drive to in Cary and Apex. Now I get to take advantage of more things I love in Durham, Cary and Apex. For me, it was a huge cost savings moving out of Durham and into Cary. I am sure that can vary for many people.
Lanyu, thanks for the additional info. I feel much better about your move now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanyu
Are there many motorbikes about in the triangle area I would have though it would be popular due to the climate?
Yes, there are! Three of my friends own motorcycles & they drive them to work all the time. They also like to take rides in the countryside here on the weekends. For extra fun, they take their bikes up to the mountains a couple of times a year to drive along the Tail Of The Dragon (You can find videos of this on You Tube. It's very popular with motocycle enthusiasts).
Wish I could help you with the the license/insurance info, but as I mentioned before, Mr. Steel did not have a license when he moved here. Hopefully someone else can offer more info. Worse case scenario, you can contact an insurance company and ask them about their policies.
The housing prices in the Southern Durham area on the south side of The Streets at Southpoint mall, where I was considering buying another home, and where I now live in Cary are around the same.
July 07 we bought a single family home in Southern Durham.... south of The Streets of Southpoint mall. I found the opposite to be true as what In & Out found. Homes in Cary of similar size and condition were at least 20% + more. We were looking in the low to mid 300s. I did find homes in Cary in the same price range that we purchased but the Cary homes needed alot of updating / repairs and the locations were often less desirable (busy streets or such). The home we purchased in So Durham was only 2 years old and had the updates we wanted. So we got more for our money here. But maybe others have not in their given price ranges.
July 07 we bought a single family home in Southern Durham.... south of The Streets of Southpoint mall. I found the opposite to be true as what In & Out found. Homes in Cary of similar size and condition were at least 20% + more. We were looking in the low to mid 300s. I did find homes in Cary in the same price range that we purchased but the Cary homes needed alot of updating / repairs and the locations were often less desirable (busy streets or such). The home we purchased in So Durham was only 2 years old and had the updates we wanted. So we got more for our money here. But maybe others have not in their given price ranges.
Hmmmmmmmm........there are many SFH just north of me in and around Carpenter Village and just south of where I live from the upper $200's to the low to mid $300's. From 2001 to brand new.
I am from London. I have also lived in Sheffield and Bristol. I moved to the US in 2002. I am living in a foreign country and I expect there to be cultural differences. Still, certain attitudes/behaviors here confuse me. Half the folks seem refreshingly laid-back and the other half seem overly-aggressive. My husband is American and he was raised in the South so he acts as a sounding board for me at times.
Overall I like it here. It is a reasonably cosmopolitan place if you reside in the center of the metropolitan area. There are plenty of people from the UK and other parts of Europe. It is also a melting pot of US culture since you have transplants from all over the country. You do not have to travel far for more authentic/less diluted Southern culture. I have journeyed throughout the state and I have grown to love North Carolina.
P.S. The food here is pretty tasty in my opinion (minus the grits, biscuits (like greasy scones) and collards).
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and dont forget you ride on the wrong side of the road 
