Considering moving from Raleigh, NC to mountain/farm country VA. (Roanoke: how much, buying a home)

[carlito2002wgn]

Hi Everybody! I have family in Hagerstown, MD, and live in Raleigh, NC. My wife and I always choose to take the scenic route when traveling to and from MD. I do not possess an extensive enough vocabulary to express just how happy driving through the area around the Village of Paris makes me, or how much it warms my heart. The Village of Paris is just one place, but I think much of North Central to North Western VA would evoke similar emotions from my wife and me. I love the area, and am starting to look for a house there (a very large area at this point).

Our wants are:

• Minimum of 3 acres, but the more the better! This is more of a requirement than a “want”.
• Hi speed internet. This might be a tough one, but it is a requirement do to our jobs. We both work from home, and definitely need cable or fiber internet.
• Cooler summer temperatures and more snow, so maybe higher elevations. This would be nice, but not a requirement.
• Is there an area that has relatively lower humidity than surrounding areas? If so, that would be awesome!
• Friendly-enough neighbors who treat people how they wish to be treated themselves. My name is Carlos, and I have experienced, first-hand, prejudice in small towns (big towns and cities as well, but it is different in small towns) that starts at first introductions based on my first name. This is almost always invariably a minor laughable issue that never grows into a problem. It’s funny, because there was actually a book written about my ancestors (direct maternal lineage) coming to this country on a ship called Neptune. My relatives fought in the Revolutionary war and every war afterward, but … I was named after my father. I am the ninth Carlos! Anyway, I generally get along with just about anybody as long as they give me a chance.
• No HOAs, and nobody involving themselves in my business. Don’t tell me how many chickens I can have on my land, or that I can’t build a barn wherever the heck I want. At heart, I am a redneck hillbilly country boy who believes in and trusts good science, respects others, can do some really neat stuff with Microsoft Excel, listens to all types of music, but loves John Denver, and asks Alexa to play “Country Boys Can Survive” by Hank Williams, Jr. more often than I go to the dentist’s and doctor’s office combined.
• No BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) – We have muscular, block-headed dogs that aren’t welcome in some places. If our American Bulldogs and American Pitbull Terriers are not welcome in X Town, then that is the last place we would ever want to live. Absolute requirement.
• Proximity to good hospital. World-class can be a helicopter ride away, but a “good” hospital is important.
• Good schools, public and/or private. Pretty darn important.
• Proximity to a small town fit for a Hallmark Christmas special. That is a long-shot dream want

Somebody suggested that I add price range and home size, so:

• Up to $400,000, but it is certainly not a goal to spend that much!
• 4 bedroom / 2+ bathrooms is what we would like, but we'll consider the right 3br/2+ba. I would really really really like a basement (finished or not).
• My wife and I are completely open to buying a home in need of repairs and updating. If we find a home for $200k that meets our criteria, but needs $100k - $200k in work, that is fine with us. We've taken this route before, and would not shy away from doing it again.

So, where should we move? Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated!

[piperdiva]

Check out Clifton, Va. We moved here over a year ago and love it! It's expensive, though. But there are some smaller fixer uppers dotted here and there on large tracts of land.

[carlito2002wgn]

Originally Posted by piperdiva

Check out Clifton, Va. We moved here over a year ago and love it! It's expensive, though. But there are some smaller fixer uppers dotted here and there on large tracts of land.

Thank you, Piperdiva. Clifton looks nice, but I think I am looking to be more out in the boonies than that.

[grouse789]

Staunton, harrisonburg, or further south, like Galax. anywhere along the 81 corridor and you will find it!

[gemstone1]

Your wish list is nice, not practical, but nice....try moderating the requirements for more options. Finding a rural piece of property with FTTH is like finding hens teeth, you will probably be lucky to get cable in a rural setting.

Here is a map of the fiber network for Mid-Atlantic Broadband, you can see where they are, but that does not mean their fiber is available for residential users, just co-locators/providers.....but at least it's in the ground.

There is a push to bring broadband to rural Virginia, but I don't know if there is a published schedule.

Regards
Gemstone1

[TN Lily]

As gemstone1 indicated, broadband & rural VA do NOT go together.



My suggestion: Hot Springs, VA & Warm Springs, VA. Both in Bath County. With The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, there's got to be high-speed Internet serving that facility. I am assuming that translates into high-speed Internet available in that town. They are rural towns and would meet your Hallmark Christmas Special.

Since the Omni is a luxury resort attracting people from far and wide, the name Carlos should not be too exotic.

Good luck.

[Johnathon Hills]

Maybe around the Winchester-Stephens City area?

[Jude24]

My wife and I are looking for a similar location, but house can be small and we don't need acreage. Like you, we also like a little higher elevation where the summer highs are closer to 80 than to 90. We have only looked in the Southwest part so far. Abingdon, Chilhowie,Marion, Rural Retreat, Wythville, Dublin, Christianburg, Blacksburg, Floyd, all around Roanoke and up as far as Lexington. If I had to pick in Virginia right now, I would probably look in Meadows of Dan or Fancy Gap. They are close enough to Hillsville and Galax to have access to slightly more urban. They are still a bit of a haul to Roanoke or Winston-Salem. For more of a city type feel, the Christianburg/Blacksburg area is pretty nice. You can head up the 460 from Blacksburg and be in a nice remote area with access to a college town, but I have no idea what communication is like there.

But we have found most places we like are pretty far from major hospitals and it doesn't sound like the data connection is very good. We may be taking another trip and focusing farther North. In reality we are starting to lean more toward NorthWest North Carolina (If I am allowed to say that on here). As much as we love Virginia, NC is showing a little more promise so far. We expected to come back from our last trip with our minds made up, but may be waiting a little longer than we expected while we continue to look. Wherever we land, I want it to be in those mountains for sure. I am going to be watching this thread, because I sure am interested in opinions of anyone.

[woodchuck22013]

Originally Posted by Jude24

My wife and I are looking for a similar location, but house can be small and we don't need acreage. Like you, we also like a little higher elevation where the summer highs are closer to 80 than to 90. We have only looked in the Southwest part so far. Abingdon, Chilhowie,Marion, Rural Retreat, Wythville, Dublin, Christianburg, Blacksburg, Floyd, all around Roanoke and up as far as Lexington. If I had to pick in Virginia right now, I would probably look in Meadows of Dan or Fancy Gap. They are close enough to Hillsville and Galax to have access to slightly more urban. They are still a bit of a haul to Roanoke or Winston-Salem. For more of a city type feel, the Christianburg/Blacksburg area is pretty nice. You can head up the 460 from Blacksburg and be in a nice remote area with access to a college town, but I have no idea what communication is like there.

But we have found most places we like are pretty far from major hospitals and it doesn't sound like the data connection is very good. We may be taking another trip and focusing farther North. In reality we are starting to lean more toward NorthWest North Carolina (If I am allowed to say that on here). As much as we love Virginia, NC is showing a little more promise so far. We expected to come back from our last trip with our minds made up, but may be waiting a little longer than we expected while we continue to look. Wherever we land, I want it to be in those mountains for sure. I am going to be watching this thread, because I sure am interested in opinions of anyone.

Did you ever find a location? And if so, was it in Virginia?