If I dont like snow but love easy goin people is VA good? (Richmond: real estate)

[downunda]

I am trained in Elderly Care and Tourism and love the outdoors but like being near a city, dont like snow and want to experience all the seasons. I dont wanna live with uptight city people but i heard VA could be a good place to live..thoughts?

[VALover]

Check out Roanoke. It isn't uptight and with the exception of winter 2010 we usually don't have much snow.

[johnnybgood1999]

Roanoke, Blacksburg, Bristol, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Harrisonburg would all be gret areas for you. Some winters the snow can really pile up, with several 6-20inch snowfalls. Most winters only bring a couple noteworthy snow events. The state isn't near as friendly as it used to be, but where is? Overall, I love it here in Lynchburg. When I get a better job I'll want for nothing.

[Mr Williamsburg]

Come to Williamsburg. Compared to any of the other areas mentioned we get almost no snow. HUGE need for elderly care and tourism is our number one industry. This is one of the friendliest places we have ever lived. Spend a few days here and see what you think.

[epack]

Depends on where you are in VA. We live in Charlottesville, well, in Albemarle County about 10 miles west of the city, and have definitely had our share of snow over the years, especially last winter. Typically it melts before the next storm, tho, and we've had years where we got NO snow. Having lived 5 years in CT, we know snow

That said, do note that while Charlottesville is frequently on those "best places to live" lists, it is HORRENDOUSLY expensive to live in this area, third worst in the entire state, just behind Tidewater and NoVa. If you have plenty of $$, probably won't be an issue, but if you are on a decent but fixed income, beware! Dirty little secret about this area they don't want you to know...

JMO

elaine

[virginia33]

I generally agree with the places that people have listed. The last two winters have been anomalies. My family has lived in Virginia for about 25 years and the last two years have seen some of the worst winters in VA history (along with the blizzard of 96!). VA winters can get cold, but they're otherwise pretty mild, short-lived and there are several warm spells throughout. When I was growing up there, school was frequently canceled simply because snow was in the forecast - and often times it would end up being sunny and 60 degrees on our snow day! Those were the best.

I am biased, but I would suggest researching Charlottesville. Real estate is definitely on the expensive side compared to other areas in central or southern Virginia, but if you are coming from an expensive area then you may find that it's not too bad.

Charlottesville is much more than just a college town. It offers tons to do for a place its size: music - lots and lots of music acts come through Charlottesville every year and it has many historic and brand new venues; art galleries - pretty well attended First Fridays events; TONS of history and historic sites; sporting events at the University of Virginia, which has top teams in basically every sport except football and basketball; polo matches; lots of vineyards close by; a great variety of high quality restaurants; farmers markets; some pretty reasonably priced golf courses in the surrounding area (along with very expensive ones); endless outdoor recreation opportunities with a short drive to the mountains or the James River; 3-4 hour drive to the ocean, 1 hour drive to Richmond, 2 hour drive to DC; and I could go on and on. One of the greatest areas is its historic downtown mall, which is a bricked-over pedestrian street full of shops, restaurants, music venues and apartments. Often there are musicians/bands busking outside and there's a great mix of young and old enjoying all the offerings. There's an outdoor pavilion at the west end that hosts free concerts on Friday evenings starting in the spring.

As far as the friendliness goes, I'm often confused by the complaints on these boards. IMO Virginia is in general a very friendly place; I try not to let a comparatively small number of unpleasant encounters shape my view of any city or state. From my experiences in Charlottesville, people often smile and say "Hi" as you pass on the street or in the halls of your apt building; people strike up small talk when waiting in lines and are generally very pleasant to one another. There is an element of transplant-wariness outside NoVa, but I think this mostly derives from the rest of the state's distaste toward the rapid growth and descent into cultural-vapidness NoVa's experienced over the last 30 years.

Check out this site to see more! Charlottesville Official Travel Website - Hotels, Events, Restaurants, Vacations, Travel - Visit Charlottesville, VA

[virginia33]

Sorry - I forgot to mention the 4 very distinct seasons that Virginians get to enjoy. Spring and fall are tremendously beautiful with an explosion of color occurring during both. Fall might be my favorite time of year in Charlottesville and Virginia in general. Driving along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway to take in the fall foliage, apple picking at Carter's Mountain, trick-or-treating on the Lawn of UVa - great fun! Beware if you have allergies, spring and summer can be cruel to those with allergies or asthma due to the heavy pollen and humidity. But, to me it's worth it.