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The hubby and I will be in western NC for 10 days to explore possible retirement towns...we are headed your way on July 2nd. Hickory is of particular interest due to it's location and size. My hubby said he has family on his mother's side that lived in Hickory/Mt Airy area, but he doesn't know if they are still in the area or not. We also will be visiting Winston Salem, Greensboro, Asheboro, Asheville and Greenville SC.
Some background info:
We live in Ohio but neither of us originate from Ohio. I was born and raised in CT, but left at age 18 and have also lived in Texas and Mississippi for a number of years. Currently we live in a rural, very quiet and peaceful 1 stoplight town that is only 2 miles to the highway and about 10-15 minutes to all the stores and restaurants.
But I also have had the experience of living for way too many years in a very old (1910) best-house-on-the-worst-street scenario, dabsmack in the middle of an inner city neighborhood that went to crap.....boarded up houses, squatters, crime, driveby shootings, drugs everywhere, hookers walking the streets etc. I got one hell of an education and actively defended my property and right to live in peace. I tried to help the community to the extent of being a board member of a neighborhood cleanup group, but I eventually burned out, moved and sold my home. My hubby originates from NW Pennsylvania, but like me, has experienced different parts of the USA
Does anyone have any input on Hickory?
What we are looking for most is a friendly & welcoming community, a downtown that isn't dead but instead is quaintly progressive with an active "downtown association" with a plan that is clearly working. That's something I would really be interested in taking part in, as well as the possibility of opening a storefront myself.
I'd love to see flower boxes, nice lamp posts, fresh curbs and landscaping features, people sitting outside shops talking or sipping a beer and having a meal on outdoor patios, etc. We visited Aiken, SC and that is my model downtown. What a really nice place!
What would be discouraging is an excessively large number of boarded up buildings, dirty streets and a generalized sad and depressed look.
Affordability is important, but that means something different to everyone. If a clean 2 bedroom townhouse could be rented in a nice part of town for around $650, I would be inclined to think the area isn't overpriced. As an example, we looked outside the Holly Springs/Fuquay Varina area (outskirts of Raliegh) and everything thing was $800 - $1200. While we both want and need to work, it doesn't have to be triple figure income...just decent enough because we will be moving for early retirement and will need to supplement our income for awhile.
Thanks for any thoughtful input you guys might have!
Last edited by WineDine21; 06-11-2015 at 05:51 AM..
The hubby and I will be in western NC for 10 days to explore possible retirement towns...we are headed your way on July 2nd. Hickory is of particular interest due to it's location and size. My hubby said he has family on his mother's side that lived in Hickory/Mt Airy area, but he doesn't know if they are still in the area or not. We also will be visiting Winston Salem, Greensboro, Asheboro, Asheville and Greenville SC.
Some background info:
We live in Ohio but neither of us originate from Ohio. I was born and raised in CT, but left at age 18 and have also lived in Texas and Mississippi for a number of years. Currently we live in a rural, very quiet and peaceful 1 stoplight town that is only 2 miles to the highway and about 10-15 minutes to all the stores and restaurants.
But I also have had the experience of living for way too many years in a very old (1910) best-house-on-the-worst-street scenario, dabsmack in the middle of an inner city neighborhood that went to crap.....boarded up houses, squatters, crime, driveby shootings, drugs everywhere, hookers walking the streets etc. I got one hell of an education and actively defended my property and right to live in peace. I tried to help the community to the extent of being a board member of a neighborhood cleanup group, but I eventually burned out, moved and sold my home. My hubby originates from NW Pennsylvania, but like me, has experienced different parts of the USA
Does anyone have any input on Hickory?
What we are looking for most is a friendly & welcoming community, a downtown that isn't dead but instead is quaintly progressive with an active "downtown association" with a plan that is clearly working. That's something I would really be interested in taking part in, as well as the possibility of opening a storefront myself.
I'd love to see flower boxes, nice lamp posts, fresh curbs and landscaping features, people sitting outside shops talking or sipping a beer and having a meal on outdoor patios, etc. We visited Aiken, SC and that is my model downtown. What a really nice place!
What would be discouraging is an excessively large number of boarded up buildings, dirty streets and a generalized sad and depressed look.
Affordability is important, but that means something different to everyone. If a clean 2 bedroom townhouse could be rented in a nice part of town for around $650, I would be inclined to think the area isn't overpriced. As an example, we looked outside the Holly Springs/Fuquay Varina area (outskirts of Raliegh) and everything thing was $800 - $1200. While we both want and need to work, it doesn't have to be triple figure income...just decent enough because we will be moving for early retirement and will need to supplement our income for awhile.
Thanks for any thoughtful input you guys might have!
Your wants and needs list is saying: Hendersonville, Weaverville, Black Mountain. But your budget is saying over $900 a month for a decent rental in true Western NC, and that is average, not overpriced. (Hickory is not truly Western NC, check the map; and is a bear of a trip west to the mountains on Rt. 40.)
You've chosen a very wide area of interest, and most are not comparable to each other. e.g. the larger cities, like W/S, Greensboro, near Raleigh etc. may have some quaint neighborhoods, but will be pricey. Aiken SC is pricey, has been touted as a huge retirement area for the past several years, with new subdivisions and gated communities popping up over time. You will also find the weather to vary quite a bit in these areas. Western NC, is the most moderate and comfortable of all; and elevation over 3500 ft. sea level will bring colder winters. Outside of the mountains at or near sea level will give you uncomfortable HOT and HUMID summers.
Here is a link to newspapers everywhere, very informative website:
You might want to consider the area around Lenoir,it's only about 20 minutes from Hickory.We purchased a home here last year,between Lenoir and Blowing Rock and we can be on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 20 minutes,in Blowing Rock in 15 minutes. Blowing Rock is a very pretty little town in Watauga county,we're still in Caldwell county where taxes are lower ;-)
Enjoy your trip! :-)
Thanks for the helpful input I guess I should probably edit my first post to include that we are looking at modest sized rural towns outside of larger cities, I'd say within a half hour or so to major attractions and about 10-15 minutes to a basic grocery store and gas station. I'm also unsure if I want to live up into the mountains...I think I'm probably more of a foothills kind of girl. I was hoping to be able to visit mountain towns for weekend trips and was hoping to live not far from them. Once I visit the area I will have a better idea. It's so hard to really know until the area has been seen with my own eyes
As far as price points, we can afford the higher price rent but I'm trying to be retirement minded. I'll have to research the general rental prices. Aiken and Fuquay were my first time to really price renting/buying.
Last edited by WineDine21; 06-11-2015 at 07:16 AM..
I should probably edit my first post to include that we are looking at modest sized rural towns outside of larger cities, I'd say within a half hour or so to major attractions and about 10-15 minutes to a basic grocery store and gas station.
For example, draw a radius of about 30 miles around a large city and look within that radius. Asheville, for example, 30 miles will give you the rural type living you want with easy access to downtown. In Winston-Salem for example, look at Clemmons. Do some research on www.Realtor.com also, to give you a perspective of home prices by zip code. Apartment rental sites will also give you an idea of rental prices. My personal best advice to you would be not to isolate yourselves too far out of a town; a half hour to a good hospital (for example) would not be a good place to be. You don't have to be "up" in the mountains in Western NC. No matter where you are in any given town here within a half hour or so of Asheville, you will have views from just about every road; even at the traffic lights in most instances. We do have plenty of flat land here. Rolling hills and beautiful farms are everywhere. You'll see.
In between Hendersonville NC and Greenville SC are some very nice towns you would like as you go downhill in elevation. Look at Mill Spring, Columbus, Saluda, Campbello, SC, Inman, SC etc. Lower elevation, but sweet rural areas. Greenville SC is one of my faves to visit, lovely city, plenty to do and 55 miles from Asheville, 35 miles from Hendersonville. My guess is that you will put Greenville in your top 2.
Enjoy !
Last edited by QuilterChick; 06-11-2015 at 07:24 AM..
So many many things to consider that it can become exhausting while researching a new home town. I completely agree about not being too far out, especially in regards to hospitals. My hubby on the other hand could live in the middle of nowhere, so it's hard to find that happy medium. I'm spending time online this morning looking at the links you've given me and so far Asheville seems wonderful.
Maybe an odd question, but as far as earthquakes go how has it been? I have heard they do happen in that area of the country.
Make travelers rest sc a stop. I think it might be what you are looking for. It's on the outskirts of Greenville and probably one of the cheapest places on your list... If you can find a rental. There are always town homes in one particular spot listed for tr though.
Edit to add... Cross asheboro off. It's nothing but a few places on route 64 and the zoo. Admittedly it's been a while since I've been there but I think there are better places for your wants. I think you'll be happier in SC.
Small tremors are not unheard of, but fairly rare. Damaging earthquakes are virtually unheard of, the last one occurring in 1886 (and was actually centered near Charleston, SC).
So many many things to consider that it can become exhausting while researching a new home town. I completely agree about not being too far out, especially in regards to hospitals. My hubby on the other hand could live in the middle of nowhere, so it's hard to find that happy medium. I'm spending time online this morning looking at the links you've given me and so far Asheville seems wonderful.
Maybe an odd question, but as far as earthquakes go how has it been? I have heard they do happen in that area of the country.
Yes, Asheville is pretty neat. I wouldn't call it 'wonderful', but then again I've had a good 14 years here to determine what is wonderful; and several years as a Realtor. The Asheville (city) has 11 zip codes, most of which are traffic and congestion riddled especially in tourist season. Nice place to visit, shop and dine, but I couldn't live there. OK guys .... don't beat me up on that one ! The Asheville 'area' is a whole different scenario, with some lovely outlying towns, not cities. So if you don't want city life, draw that radius of 30 miles around any large city and concentrate on that. You will also find some areas around here, like Lenoir, Marion, Morganton, Hickory, for example which took a very large downside hit when the furniture industry hit a huge demise in the area and haven't fully recovered. But those towns are not within a 30 mile radius of Asheville.
If weather is important to you, don't venture out into the hot 'n humid zones. If you need to have employment, make that your first priority in where to settle, even if temporary while you have to work before full retirement.
I just booked a room in Flat Rock. Looking forward to some foothill exploration! I have an uncle I've never met who lives in Greer SC, so I plan to have lunch with him and check out that area as well.
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If you change your schedule, just holler before the 28th.
