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Hello! My husband, 4 year old, 2 malamutes, and I are looking to relocate to Western NC at the end of July. California is way too expensive and we want to be closer to family (OH, CT, NY)
I have worked for Marriott Hotels in the operations department for 10 years then a nanny for 1 and now an assistant teacher at a daycare facitlity for 18-30mos toddlers
My husband is a general contractor
We are looking for
Med/small town
down to earth friendly people
mountains, hiking, camping, skiing
3 bdrm house with land $1000
quaint/historic/fun downtown
family and dog friendly
great schools
4 seasons
laid back
I appreciate any advice/opinion/info you can provide
WNC is a very big place! In the NW corner building starts are at record lows. It's hurting everybody from the contractors to the landscapers. I don't know what it's like in the SW corner, but I think Asheville is in better shape than Boone simply because it's a metropolitan city.
Do your research and have job and home (in that order) before you come. You may want to look at Charlotte and Winston-Salem. The mountains are only 1 1/2 hrs away and the job market is MUCH better in both cities.
Seriously, don't drive out here without a job lined up first, unless you have 3 months or more of living expenses saved up. Seriously. (Didn't I just say that?)
Hi Boogabstell.
Saw that you posted a similar post in the Vermont forum. Interesting to me because Vermont and Western N.C are my two favorite eastern areas. I am still plotting my move to WNC and I use to live in Vermont, still have family there and just got back from a visit.
I pretty much gave up on a return to Vt. but still have WNC in my vision.
I am guessing (maybe assumptive) that if you are from Bay Area that your views run liberal. In that respect Burlington would probably suit you more, but as far as affordablility then WNC is probably cheaper. I know people in WNC think it is super expensive and no jobs but comparatively it is not.
Vermont still has my heart as #1 and it's beauty can still bring me to tears but Western N.C. is a fantastic compromise. It has the mountains, great lifestyle and outdoors vibe but is not quite as expensive. And yes, WNC is very dog friendly. Check out the little town of Black Mountain. I took my aussie there and couldn't believe how everyone layed out the red carpet for him. Store keepers literally ran out with doggie water bowls when they saw us pass by the their storefront. Almost all restaurants had seating outside for my pooch. My dog got so many pats on the head, oohs and ahs, and so much much attention the friend I was with said it was like traveling with a celebrity!
WNC weather is much more moderate-even in the High Country where they think they get "alot of snow" it can't compare to the severe winters of the N.E. Even though the summers and fall in New England make my heart sing the winters are TOUGH. N.C. gets the thumbs up because the winters are bearable and the rest of the year is nice.
Good luck to you!
You also might look into the Charlottesville, VA area--mountains, college town (liberal), and even closer to the places you say you're trying to be near.
I live in Charlotte, NC and moved here from the Bay area two years ago, yes the cost of housing is sure cheaper than the expensive cities in the bay area but when it comes to everything else, it's pretty much the same including sales taxes, property taxes and cost of gas and food. Charlotte is pretty hot and humid starting end of Spring till end of Sept. It's already in upper 90s with no break in the horizon. I work from home so I didn't have an issue with lining up a job, but I had my job with me before I moved. Before I moved to Charlotte, I looked into Charlottesville, VA. It's a very pretty town with lots of history and close proximity to Washington DC. I did a comparison of the cost of living and it was the same as the Bay Area so I decided to skip it. I have been looking at different parts of the country that are not as hot as Charlotte and my eyes are now on the mountains. I really enjoyed Asheville when I visited, but again the cost of living in Asheville is a little higher, it's a major attraction now in the WNC, so housing even with the down swing, is still expensive". I am looking into Boone and the surrounding area, or maybe cross the border to Tennessee and see what's there. Found this article interesting America's 100 Cheapest Places To Live - Forbes.com Good luck with the hunt.
I live in Charlotte, NC and moved here from the Bay area two years ago, yes the cost of housing is sure cheaper than the expensive cities in the bay area but when it comes to everything else, it's pretty much the same including sales taxes, property taxes and cost of gas and food.
SF Bay Area right now:
Regular unleaded - $4.09/gallon
Sales tax - 9.5%
Housing - $1 million gets you a suburbian 1700 sq. ft. 2br home on 0.17 acres built in 1960.
Charlotte right now:
Regular unleaded - $3.69/gallon
Sales tax - 8.25% (much lower elsewhere in NC)
Housing - $1 million gets you a 4300 sq. ft. 5br home on 1.17 acres built in 2000.
Property tax in CA is fairly low compared to other states and it's based on the last sale price and usually end up being around 1.25% of the total purchase price, so for a $700,000 home you pay around $7500. It could be more depending on the city and county but this is the avg. McK county just increased the property tax so if I compare the new tax to what I used to pay in CA, NC is more. As I said in my previous post, the housing cost, purchase price or rent is sure lower than the bay area, but everything else will end up being the same, even with gas prices lower a little here, the grocery bill is higher here.
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