Areas to avoid SWVA . . (Roanoke, Blacksburg: house, to buy, homeschooling)

[lifesigns64]

From Roanoke down to the south and southwest part of Virginia, are there any areas to avoid . . .

Dying Towns, Bad Pollution, Crime, High Utilities?

Where would it be unwise to buy a home . . . we've made several mistakes based on the beauty of an area . . .

We would like a nice house on 2 or more acres, in a good school are (even though we are currently homeschooling) in an area either close to I-81, or the Tri-Cities as husband is a truck driver and needs to live within 80 miles of these places.

Just want to know locations where we should just cross off the list.

[lifesigns64]

I am hoping this means that no one has negative news/info on many of the towns . . .

[SmerkyGrl]

I've lived in SWVa for years and honestly, other than it being a little too quiet and a little too rural sometimes (some towns have more cows than people), I really don't have any complaints.

[seanpecor]

Whether or not you cross a city/town off your list has more to do with how comfortable you are with the availability of certain things, like shopping, hospitals and so on. Insofar as places to cross off the list, I suppose I'd suggest any area with a negative growth rate. If you google "martinsville quickfacts" without the quotes you'd get the census page for Martinsville. Look for the growth since 2000 statistic. Do the same for franklin county, and any other places on your list.

Insofar as populated places, the three areas to look around would be the Roanoke metro, the Blacksburg/Radford/Christiansburg metro and the tri-cities metro. With so many truck runs being made down to TN from OH and NY I imagine it would be a good place to look into.

Sean

[lifesigns64]

That's good advice Sean about the growth rate.

I don't have anyone to go to for guidance, and I don't know if realtors would dissuage me from moving to their town and be honest.

I am going to do a check on that Martinsville site you recommended.

We checked out the last few weekends, Roanoke, Blacksburge, Boones Creek, Rocky Mount, Floyd, Salem, and a few other's I can't remember and I LOVED THE AREA . . . . but for us, we need a house at least 2500 s.f., and we would like 1-2 acres, my husband would love more . . . we found out that many of the homes in this area are out of our price range . . . so we are going to keep our eyes open to this area, and search out some more,

Thanks for the advice.