North Carolinians-Help with a move decision please:)

[A4Disney]

Thank you if you can stand reading about yet one more Northerner that wants to head to your gorgeous state!
I'm having a hard time deciding what areas to look in,I am from such a small state it's easy to know what areas/counties are good.I feel like I'm looking for a needle in a haystack when looking at NC areas.I've heard on this very board that although the Raleigh area/Wake county schools are top rated once you get there you find out they are over crowded and a nightmare....
Basically I thought I'd put it my criteria and see if anyone can recommend a great town/county.....
Great schools/traditional school calendar- I will have one in high school next year and two in elementary
A town of about 40,000 or less if possible I wouldn't mind a small town near excitement
Near a major highway
Near malls,medical centers,restaurant...in other words not in the boonies...
A place that may have homes with at least .50 of an acre and not in a cookie cutter community

If anyone can help thanks so much!!

 

[Jennasis]

I lived on Long Island for my entire life and then DH and I uprooted about 3 years ago and mooved to NC to buy and run a horse farm. We live in Davie county (specifically Mocksville) which is about 20 minutes west of Winston-Salem and considered part of the "Triad" area of NC. I LOVE it. You may find it a bit more rural than many of the surrounding communities but it is a booming town and the county itself has plenty of other towns in it that are far more residential...plus one of the best school districts in the state (go War Eagles!).

 

[luvindisneyworld]

I live in Western NC.


i would say to look at the Asheville area.WNC is Beautiful.There is quite a bit to do.

I am just ready to move South myself.I dont like cold weather. .

Misty

 

[A4Disney]

I lived on Long Island for my entire life and then DH and I uprooted about 3 years ago and mooved to NC to buy and run a horse farm. We live in Davie county (specifically Mocksville) which is about 20 minutes west of Winston-Salem and considered part of the "Triad" area of NC. I LOVE it. You may find it a bit more rural than many of the surrounding communities but it is a booming town and the county itself has plenty of other towns in it that are far more residential...plus one of the best school districts in the state (go War Eagles!).

Thanks for the info,how did your family take it when you moved?That's one thing keeping us here this long.My parents,grandparents,siblings,aunts,uncles etc...They don't believe in moving no matter how expensive this area gets!

 

[A4Disney]

I live in Western NC.


i would say to look at the Asheville area.WNC is Beautiful.There is quite a bit to do.

I am just ready to move South myself.I dont like cold weather. .




Misty

Your baby is beautiful!Don't say NC is cold LOL that's why I'm moving there to get away from the NE winters!
We are actually visiting your area in a couple weeks,we are going to take a tour of the HGTV dream home and take a look at the area...I kind wanted to be just 10 hrs away from my family which would be in the more Northern area of NC.Asheville,as beautiful as it is,is more like 13.5 hrs away..

 

[SC Minnie]

Check out the Cabarrus county area. There is still a lot of area that is rural yet it is close to the interstate and very near all the amenities of Charlotte.

 

[Pinkprincessmom]

There are many small towns in the Triangle. Apex, Holly Springs, Wake Forest, Knightdale.

 

[A4Disney]

Check out the Cabarrus county area. There is still a lot of area that is rural yet it is close to the interstate and very near all the amenities of Charlotte.

Thanks..that was one of the areas I was looking into.Should I stick to Cabarrus county because of the schools?How are the taxes?

 

[bcvgal]

Here's another plug for Union co. Lots of great communities and close to Charlotte but without the taxes. Really like Concord too. Great shopping and restaurants. Don't know about taxes though. Also schools in Union are very good. PM if you need anymore info.

P.s. Good realtor site is www.allentate.com

 

[saucymb]

Gaston County has one of the highest rated school systems in NC. It is just west of Charlotte, we are building house in Mt. Holly, and it will be a 20 minute drive to Charlotte. Good prices on housing, lots of square footage for the cash if you find the right builder.

Also, Raleigh is a fantastic area. Lots of small towns around Raleigh and Wake County with plenty of room to grow. I've heard the Wake Co. school system is very good.

We moved to Charlotte from Raleigh a year ago, and I much prefer Raleigh to Charlotte.

Cynderella here on the DIS is an excellent realtor for the Charlotte area, if you have questions about the Charlotte area, PM her!

 

[cynsaun]

We moved away from Raleigh and the Wake County schools because they were such a nightmare. Please make sure you know everything you can before you move there.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Wellll, I guess I always feel obliged to have an opinion on the NC questions. I have lived here for 41 years (all my life) -some in the mountains, some at the coast, some inthe Piedmont. I much prefer the Piedmont area to live in. The only caveat I would have about the Charlotte area (this includes Cabarrus county -my place of birth) is that the infrastructure is not keeping up with the growth. Ditto Raleigh-Durham. My family and I currently live in the Triad area and really like it. The schools impress me so far -(two elementary schoolers in family). I really like living where we do (NW Randolph county). I like the geography, the proximity to ocean and mountains, accessibility to highways, three good-sized cities with lots of amenities (malls, box stores, restaurants, theaters) 5-15 minutes away. This particular area has very low taxes FWIW. Industry here is moving away from furniture and textiles, and into higher paying, more stable jobs.

NC is such a beautiful state and has so much to offer. There are so many communities that are just wonderful. Come on down; chances are you can't go wrong!

ETA: The NC Zoo is a big attraction in this part of the state.

 

[Cyndirella]

Cynderella here on the DIS is an excellent realtor for the Charlotte area, if you have questions about the Charlotte area, PM her!

Hi MB! Thanks!!!

OP, if you have any questions about the Charlotte area, and the surrounding counties (Cabarrus, Union, Gaston, etc.) feel free to PM me. I love this area, but I am a little biased since it is the only place I have lived!

 

[saucymb]

Hi MB! Thanks!!!

No worries!

 

[NCRedding]

Hi again neighbor Zippa I love the Piedmont area, having lived here all of my life (specifically in Randolph County), for most of the same reasons as zippa. There is currently another thread like this going on the budget board. Taxes in Randolph County run .55 cents per hundred in value for real property--so on a 200K house, you'll pay a minimum of $1000 per year, more for a particular fire district, and even more if you live in a municipal area which offers cit services.

From my home, I can reach the three largest airports in NC from between 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. I can be to Charlotte in a little more than 1 hour--almost the same to Raleigh. I am within an hours distance of some great malls, theatre, sporting events, and colleges.

 

[SamRoc]

Alot of my family members have moved to North Carolina in the past 15 years. Some went to Oriental, Wilmington, and Bald Head Island because they love the beach, sailing and golf, some went to Statesville and Lake Norman so they could be close to the city of Charlotte, and my Aunt and Uncle moved to Maggie Valley to have a beautiful view of the mountains. Remember North Carolina is a big state, and if you love the coast move close to it (thats where I would pick). They are all happy there and none of them plan to move back. The only problem any of them has about the weather is the ice storms, there was a picture in my sisters paper last week of flowers with what looked like light bulbs around them because of all the ice.