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First & foremost, so grateful for this forum on which I've spent hours and hours, and hopefully can write a meaningful post in order to warrant your time to respond and provide input.
I am planning a 5 day trip to WNC, hopping on the cheapest flight available in the next 4-6 weeks. This is a trip to see the places that I have researched virtually, mostly via this forum, as potential relocation spots for me. After that, I would plan a longer trip, but would love your help on the initial go around. I plan to move within a year or sooner.
I'm 45, single, female, currently living in Vermont but, after trying for 9 years, do not feel it is my "forever home." I think this is in most part due to the 6 months of winter, followed by humid summers. Also, FWIW, I had a powerful, ridiculously vivid dream in which I was told to move to Asheville area. Hmmmm!
I'm an avid hiker, I have two dogs and 3 ducks and some chickens. I work from home, so finding a job is not an issue. What I do like about Vermont is the mix of people, from farmers to philosophist, gays & lesbians, tons of musicians and artists, as well as some blue-collar, and a little white collar. Drastically lacking in diversity of color, however. I live just outside of Woodstock, VT which is a quaint but almost fake touristy town with a few good bars & restaurants. I have to drive 30 minutes to get to my favorite grocery store, which is a big and fabulous co-op near Hanover, NH.
What's important to me is to find a town I can live near to (can be 10 minutes outside of town no problem, biking into town would be fantastic) that is not laden with box stores, strip malls, etc. I would love a lively, vibrant, eclectic community which has a couple of great organically inclined grocery stores, easy to access local meat & veggies, lots of great restaurants (more local than chains, some upscale options for discerning tastes), book stores, live music, and that is also visually appealing with lots of character. Beautiful setting and surrounding areas are super important to me.
Socially, I get along with all sorts of people, but do enjoy hanging with people who lean towards authentic communication, intellectual as well as soulful discussions...folks who like to delve deep and get vulnerable. I'm a cross between an intellectual farmer hippy introvert/extrovert business person! Not at all religious, but not at all anti-religious either.
Enough about me!
I think elevation might be important (I've read a lot of Motor David's posts) because I'm not a big fan of too much humidity. I can tolerate fairly cold winters if they aren't too long, don't mind snow, but days on end in the negatives are why I want to leave VT. I'm used to driving on treacherous roads. I'm very used to heating with a wood-stove alone. I need a longer gardening season and shorter winter, in short! I would also love to be able to take my dogs on hikes right outside my back door (e.g: next to hiking/conservation land/land it's ok to hike on) and it would be really wonderful to live close to a place I could swim (with my dogs). Dogs are a big deal to me, so off-leash options are a must.
From reading all the posts (well, not all) it sounds like living close to Black Mountain, Brevard, or Blowing Rock might be good contenders for me? What are your thoughts?
I would rent for a year to be sure, but my price range will be around $250-300k for a home, but am also considering purchasing land and building (I have a friend who is a great builder). Would need to be on a minimum of 2 acres. I don't want to be in a development.
Brevard? Black Mountain? Blowing Rock? Or.... And....?
Thank you so much!!
Sue
Hi Sue...though I haven't made the move yet, my criteria very closely approximates yours and in my opinion Brevard is probably the best match outside of Asheville. It's a great little town with friendly people and a vibe that really struck a chord with me. Enjoy your trip and look forward to seeing your feedback!
Sue: Actually, I'm leaning now toward the sweet small town of Saluda for you. Sending you a DM
Part of Saluda is in Henderson County and part is in Polk County. Suggest you check it out.
I can so relate We are planning to move out there ASAP but if not by Nov it will likely be Spring (boo!). We recently spent a month in the Asheville area, getting a feel for what living there might look like. I'm so glad we did that bc it told us that we truly do want to be there. We have 2 dogs, I love yoga, arthouse movies, connecting with others authentically, hiking, painting and photography. I felt like it was just the right place for me. Everything just felt "right" in a way that I have never felt before. We fell in love with Weaverville. Its so close to Asheville but just outside enough to feel different. Being close to Asheville matters to me bc I love so much that feels particular to the place, but if that isn't as important to you I think Brevard is also lovely. Keep in mind I don't even live there....yet. But I totally get so much of what you are describing. (PS...I think your dream sounds awesome. I love those ones that can't be ignored ) Best, best, best of luck xo
Amy, thanks so much for your thoughtful post. Sounds like we are two peas in a pod! What's it like where you currently live, and what don't you like about it?
The two hardest things about moving for me are:
1. I already live in a very beautiful spot, surrounded by nature
2. I live in a renovated barn which is bursting with character and has direct access to many trails
BUT: winter here in Vermont kills me, and that is only going to get harder as I get older.
Thank you QuilterChick and GoldenLove! Black Mtn's proximity to Asheville is appealing. Being single, it would be nice to be near somewhere with easy opportunities to meet people (some classes perhaps, or yoga, etc.). It looks like the elevation of BM vs. Brevard is about the same, around 2200'. I'm wondering if it's possible to get a higher elevation within 10 minutes of the town.
Dogs falling off cliffs sounds scary. Mine are used to hiking the VT mountains with me which do have "clliffy" edges in places so hopefully it won't be an issue.
What do you love most about Black Mountain QC? How, dare I ask, do you compare New England humidity to the humidity in Hendersonville, on the whole? Also, are there reasonably safe roads to bike on (bike paths are non-existent where I live!).
I'll do a lot more digging, but it might make sense for me to stay in Black Mountain for my 5 day trip and venture out from there.
Thank you for your input and I welcome anything further!
Hey folks...so if I want to rent somewhere that allows 2 well-behaved dogs for the month of March, is my best bet air b 'n b, or do you recommend something else. Need to be somewhere with fast internet....thanks much!
Hey folks...so if I want to rent somewhere that allows 2 well-behaved dogs for the month of March, is my best bet air b 'n b, or do you recommend something else. Need to be somewhere with fast internet....thanks much!
When we would vacation up here, we would go through VRBO or Homeaway. I have 4 large breed dogs and could find places pretty easily. I can tell you that every place we rented had fast internet and you can sort by pet friendly and high speed internet, along with anything else you may want or need.
The Laurel Park area of Hendersonville is quite pretty and you can easily bike into town. HV has lots of stuff going on almost every weekend in the late Spring and Summer and has a co-op which has lots of organic veggies. In fact HV has lots of grocery stores and I can usually find all the organic veggies I want between Fresh Market, Harris Teeter an the co-op. There are always people downtown in HV and it is a great place to people watch.
Hey guys ... I'm also looking at those same towns. Sue, what you are looking for sounds eerily like what I am looking for - but I need warmth in the summer. I'm out on an island in the NW right now and 67 for summer isn't warm enough for me! I want tourism for biz, forward thinking and LIFE. Also would like a Target reasonably close - right now it takes me all day and a ferry ride to run errands and get to a mall or civilization! Brevard? Blowing Rock? Hendersonville? I'm 59 and going solo with the dogs ... certainly don't want to feel like I'm living in a retirement community (as I do now). Want family-friendly cuz I tutor/teach and love kids and also have a dog biz and think I'd like to open a B&B (so tourism is a big factor). Also natural beauty is a must. Love mtns, hills, trees and some sort of water. I'm not conservative but I am traditional and would like some ceremony and gentility in life and would enjoy celebrating holidays other than solstice! Would just like to be in a place that is welcoming, has friendly, neighborly people that would love a pot luck or to gather for a street bbq or a glass of tea on a porch. Want a cute downtown and a good neighborhood feel. And, a college town/music venue wouldn't be too bad either! Suggestions?
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Sending you a DM
