Hoping theNorth Carolinamembers can chime in and give me a hand here....

Looks like I have a potential job oppty down in Charlote NC. Now, I'm a lifelong NY'er.....born, bred and raised. Have no family in NC, no friends down there, don't even know anyone down in NC.

I'm sure the company would pick up some relo costs, butI wouldn't even begin to know where to look for a house. So thats concern number one.

Second thing is the schools - I'm starting to hit the sites, but would appreciate some advice/suggestions and especially some input from folks with kids in the local school systems (my son is in 2nd grade now). There's only so much you can get from the numbers...what are the schools really like??

I'm open to the idea of relocating. Career wise it'd be an good move. I believethe lifestyles are alot more relaxed than here, and I wouldn't mindleaving the rat race behind, somewhat, for a better qulity of lifestyle for the family.I think the economics would be a big benefit as well. A longer riding season is also aBIG plus, and I'd hope to get enuf property to enable my son to ride on as he's a budding MXer and we have NO land w/i a 2 hr drive he can ride on. So while the idea interests me, it scares the hell outta me at the same time as its a HUGE move.

Just looking for some input from the NC members who can offer some advice, suggestions,etc. on what NC is like, where's good to look for homes near Charlotte, what the schools are like, etc. We haven't sealed any deals, and everything is really at the initial stages, but I'd like to get some real perspectives from those really in the know. Thanks!!

 

It won't take long to make friends down here. Just ride into bike night somewhere, and you are on your way. We do a LOT of riding down this way. The true bikers never put the bike away for the winter.

Schools and a place to live... I would suggest to stay out of Charlotte and Mechlinburg county. The taxes there are outragous! The schools are a mess too. They just hired a new school super, but it will take him awhile to fix it. They have been in the courts for their low test scores. There are a lot of places close enough to CLT to live, and just commute to the job. Land down here has becomehard to come by. Developers are building like crazy. It all depends on what else you and your family like to do, and how much you want to spend, to determinewhere to look If you like water too, most people look around Lake Norman $$$. In SC, there is Lake Wylie $$. Give me a shout on email with specific topics, and I'll try my best to tell you the good and bad about NC. I've been here 11 years now.

 

I can't really speak about the Charlotte area but I do understand your feelings about moving. We moved to the Greenville/Spartanburg SC area (about 90 SW of Charlotte on I85) about 20 years ago. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and was scared to death about moving. We had no ties to this area, no family, just a job waiting. I think it was probably the best thing that ever happened to our family. We love this area and will stay here for many years to come.
I hope everything goes well for you and your family. I'm sure you will make the right decision.

 

sorry can't help ya much, I'm near fayetteville/Ft Bragg, about 2.5-3 hrs from CHLT. Haven't been there in a long time, but I DO know that there are some fairly "undesireable" areas around charlotte. do a lot of research and google the school system for the best one. Some may suggest living in SC and driving, the tax advantage may be better, but not if ya got kids in school. I think the NC schools are better. but you can go to the school websites in both counties and see which one has the better school system. Also try and find a realty site and cruise the houses for sale. You'll find homes in this area will be considerably cheaper in NC than in NY, property taxes too. But if you want to live in a decent neighborhood, look at the high 100's on up, may seem alittle for up there, but down here you can get into a pretty good house for that. But charlotte may be slightly higher than fayetteville though, but thats a start.

I believe charlotte is in mecklenberg county, so you can start there for the schools.

good luck, get ready for the "carpetbagger" jokes!! I'm a relocated massachussettsian(?) (yankee)myself, retired from the army here.

 

not fast enough!! ultraultra has some info, sounds like he is closere to the charlotte area than I.

good luck

 

The best advice I can give you is move to SC. and work in
NC. the money you will save every year is amazing!!

I live 122 feet from Charlotte NC. in SC.

You could not pay me enough to live in Charlotte, you have kids
of school age and if mine still were of school age I would NEVER
let them go to a Charlotte school EVER!

You wanted in put, theres my .02

Good luck what ever you choose to do!

 

I live in Raleigh but I used to have to go to Charlotte several times a week to work at Wachovia and the other banks...

Mecklinburg is not THAT bad... especially if you are from NY (well... NYC at least). I remember the first few times I went to Charlotte everyone warned me about it... Well... being from Chicago Charlotte isn't a worry to me. =)

Cabaras county is pretty to drive through. =) And I seem to recall you can get some decent houses with land out there. Well... If you consider 2-3 acres land. I do. But I am weird. when I looked last year we found a house on 3 acres that was about 2500 sqft and they were asking about $180k. I cannot speak to the neighborhood though.

A buddy of mine just moved over in Concord, NC (by the mall and speedway). The neighborhood is nice... but no land to speak of and you could not pay me to live near the speedway. =)

North Carolina in general is a VERY nice place to live. I suffered severe culture shock when we moved down 10+ years ago. But most people are friendly and the cost of living is dirt cheap compared to a lot of places.

 

211Chuck seems to have a handle on the area.
If I were you,I wouldchooseSC also, unless your job location is in the extreme northern portion of Charlotte, then there are suburbs up there that are good.

 

I seem to recall that driving through the heart of Charlotte sucks during rush hour. So yeah... SC to North Charlotte or Concord would be evil.

 

Charlotte rush hour only sucks in a cage, I do it on my
motorcycle evey day all year round and it is a peice of
cake by motorcycle!