Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Hi All,

I'm from London and am moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2010 (moving to be there with my wife).

I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has moved to Charlotte within the past 5 years and their experiences of living there - particularly anyone from London/UK/Europe.

I've been to Charlotte three times, each for short 1 week trips - so I have got an initial 'feel for the city.

I realise things are pretty destabilised in the US at the moment, and I know that Charlotte is suffering with plenty of job losses in the banking sector... but I work in multimedia/web project management, so I'm hoping there will be something available in this line of work by the time I get there next year...

But I'd love to hear anyone's experiences/advice on -

- Good places to live near the city of Charlotte.

- Jobs/employment.

- Salaries.

- Cost of living (groceries, housing, bills, etc)

- Lifestyle and culture.

- Quality of life (in comparison to UK/Europe).

- Do you think the move has improved your life?

- Any problems?


Any of your advice/feedback is much appreciated !!!

Feel free to email me via the site too, as would love to hear from any british expats living in the USA too!! :)

Cheers all, have a good un.

Victor

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Hey, I live in the Charlotte area.

A good website to check out is City Data ... has a lot of stat information about the area, there's also a discussion area that is good for people moving to the area to ask questions. (This website covers anywhere in the usa also)

- Good places to live near the city of Charlotte.

Depends where's you're gonna work and how far you want to commute. There are hundreds of new housing developments around here. My recommendation would be to rent for a year to get a proper feel for the area, its the best thing we ever did before buying.

However saying that, houses are dirt cheap at the moment and you can get a lot of brand new construction for your money. Do your research on sub divisions though because some of them are total drama zones.

Lake Norman (North Charlotte) and South Charlotte is where the money is, lots of massive houses, really nice malls etc in South Charlotte. North is where the lake is, lots of massive houses around it and big boats.
East/West Charlotte is rough. Lots of crime/shootings/drugs etc.
Huntersville is a nice place and Mooresville also .. both are a little ways up I77, but with in a 20 minute drive of Charlotte. Depending when you leave, rush hour in to (AM traffic) and out of (PM traffic) can be a bit grim.

- Jobs/employment.

There was a lot of bank jobs until recently, but like anywhere there have been a lot of lay offs. Techy jobs are all over the shop too. There are also many many care jobs with the elderly and developmentally disabled.

- Salaries.

If you sit and compare what your wages are here compared what they'd be to England through currency conversion you'll be come depressed quickly lol. Wages here aren't too bad, just depends what your profession is.

- Cost of living (groceries, housing, bills, etc)

I'll never get used to the cost of groceries in the USA, so flipping expensive. Harris Teeter always gives us a big bill, there are how ever lots of Bottom Dollar foods, Aldis, Food lions, Blooms where things are cheaper. They are *really* big on collecting coupons and saving as much as poss here.

There's also a number of stores around here where you can get English stuff, World Market, Food Lion does some stuff. And of course there's Big Bens pub in Charlotte that does Fantastic English food.

Phone/Cable .. expensive in my eyes, but I think that's more a USA thing than a Strictly Charlotte thing. Petrol is sitting at about 1.80 a gallon at the moment.

- Lifestyle and culture.

To be honest, Charlotte it's self is just a student town filled with pubs and clubs, there's not an awful lot to do in Charlotte its self apart from eat and get drunk. If you want fun things to do with Families/kids, zoos, mountains, ect you need to drive an hour or so outside Charlotte. But in a way its nice that Charlotte isn't really a tourist town.

If you like boating, then there's Lake Norman, you can rent a pontoon for about 100 bucks a day. There's also lots of walking trails around the lake.

Churches are also everywhere being in the bible belt. Also home to the Panthers and Nascar.

- Quality of life (in comparison to UK/Europe).

You defiantly get a lot more house and land for your money here which helps, but like anywhere it has its pros and cons that pretty much make it even. People are friendly (but can't drive a lick and have never been taught indicators lol) I LOVE the weather here when it's warm :)

Public transport SUCKS here. It will be a big shock after being able to get all places with out a car at home. If you don't have a car you're basically stuck. They have the CATS bus system that runs quite well inside Charlotte and the tram system, but that's all pretty much down town.

- Do you think the move has improved your life?

Again, I'd say its an even trade with its pros and cons.

- Any problems?

Not really, just normal home sickness etc etc.

Good luck!

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Fantastic advice - thanks so much friend!

You've echoed a lot of sentiments I have already, but also opened my eyes to a few other things too... am surprised by food/grocery costs being high, as when I was there last I thought it was pretty cheaper - but then, I was doing all of my shopping at WAL-MART... Harris Teeter was for the nice bakery stuff only. :)

And thanks for the pointers on the good English pubs/stores, etc, and the advice on the areas. I really like the SOUTH PARK area, but it is expensive so getting a place round there will be tough. I hear MINT HILL is nice, but being a Londoner, I'll definitely have to get used to driving much more!

By the way, what license do you drive on - UK or USA?

More advice much appreciated from anyone else too!!

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I have both ;)
To get a NC drivers license you need to have your SS number tho. Once you get your visa, you just need to go to the SS office on Albemarle road and apply for it.
The drivers test is pretty simple, common sense really. A set of questions, I think it was 25, name some road signs to the tester and then they take you out on the road. The instructor told me "Just show me you can drive on the right side of the road" .. 3 minutes out on the road, an emergency stop, here's your license lol.
Be aware tho, because you're a new driver over here, the insurance companies will treat you like a 17 year old. I'd been driving in England for 10 years but that counted for nothing to them.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Sounds fairly straightforward, as long as i don't hit anyone on the roads too right! :)

I'm glad you're doing good in Charlotte, it is comforting to know someone from the UK has settled fine... it's a million miles away from London, and a bit of the shock to the system when you first arrive! But you do adjust, and I have been told its just a matter of time and patience, and just accepting that you are now having to live in a different country at a slower pace.

I will miss the easily accessible London restaurants and culture though... and apart from P.F.Changs, I still haven't discovered a place which does any good Dim Sum in Charlotte!

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Hi Victor - my reply is not going to be anything like as comprehensive Okuda's (which was a great post, by the way).

I've lived in Charlotte for 7 years. I moved here from Kent to marry my wife when I was 23. We originally rented an apartment in Ballantyne, then bought a house in the Steele Creek area. On the whole, I really enjoy living here...and any problems I do have stem from homesickness/expat guilt rather than anything to do with Charlotte. I agree with Okuda in that there is not a lot of touristy things to do here, which can be a problem if you have people visiting. The surprising thing is how many British people there are here. My company isn't huge and there are five or six British people there. It was quite a surprise to walk in on my first day and see somebody walking around in a Sunderland football shirt!!

It is very different from England. The weather can be a nightmare in the summer. The people are friendly, but sometimes express pretty frightening views as if they are common place. Being English you do tend to stand-out, but mostly in a positive way. I don't think I'd live anywhere else in the US.

George

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Thanks for the advice and pointers George, and very glad all is going well for you too. And agreed - Okuda's post is excellent ! :thumbup:

I like that there are English people around in Charlotte too, and the pace of life seems much easier too. Charlotte is in the South so I expect some pretty challenging views, but then you could say parts of England are like that too...

Actually, I came into work today in London, and you would not believe how crowded it is and dirty, and the streets teeming with people like ants, with indifferent impatient people. I hate to say, but as a born and bred Londoner who loves his city, I actually don't like living here anymore... at least in Charlotte, you feel a sense of community and pleasantness which long left the SE of England in the 80's....

All the best!

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I worked at for the Tate Gallery when I was living in London, used to get a train into Charing Cross then walk to Millbank. It was great on warm summer mornings, but a nightmare the rest of the time. My commute took about two and half hours each way, now I have a twenty minute drive (and can still listen to Radio 1 on Sirius).

Without getting too deep - to some degree the city that you live in is what you make of it. If you want to meet other British people there are a few British pubs, and a couple of societies on Facebook. Just make sure you think the decision through and keep a positive attitude...

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I'm a former Londoner and live in Durham, North Carolina in the Triangle area of the state. I've been to Charlotte several times (mostly to the USCIS office there).

I'm not going to give you my impressions of Charlotte but I will describe life in NC.

The number one difference for me as an ex-Londoner about life in NC is that you will have to get accustomed to driving everywhere. You might not even find there's enough pavement to get you even a short distance from A to B. I advise you not to walk on the street anywhere but places where there actual pavements for pedestrians. I've learned from experience.

Both Charlotte and Durham (and the other cities that make up the Triangle) are pretty cosmopolitan cities compared to the rest of the state. They draw people from elsewhere in the country and also the rest of the world due to the employers and industries located in the respective cities. As a result, the grocery stores and restaurant reflect diverse tastes. Southerners are more outwardly friendly to non-Southerners and if you have a British accent, this can be an icebreaker when making small talk or conversation.

The weather NC is notable in that we have four distinct seasons. Unlike London, the summer in NC is quite humid and temperatures rise regularly above 38C. Those are the days when you use your AC in your car and wear sunscreen. A word about spring. Many, many people I know in NC have allergies and spring is the worst season for them. The pollen in the air coats everything in a yellow layer. Fortunately, I don't have any allergies.

I might add I've been living in NC/the USA since 2002 and I've settled here nicely. You alone are responsible for making a success of life in your new environment. In the early days, you will be homesick and miss aspects of life back in London. For me, it's the food and family and friends. I also miss having extensive public transport but I deal with the realities of driving daily.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Thanks for the solid advice - and I agree, settling in anywhere new is as much about YOUR OWN mind-set than the place you're going. Some people resist change, when the best thing to do is embrace it.

So, any tips on good neighbourhoods/places to check out and see if I like them?

So far I've been to Gastonia, Mint Hill, South Park, and parts of Cleveland County. I've found them all to be nice places... but as a thirty-something professional, a close proximity to the city centre would be something I'd ideally want (as opposed to a 1 hour drive to and from Charlotte).

Just interested in your thoughts...

Thanks all.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

There are a couple of neighbourhoods closer to Uptown - NoDa is bohemian, and Dillworth is expensive. There are also apartment buildings right near Uptown where you could walk to the bars and clubs. If you want a decent neighbourhood with a lawn, you are going to have to drive in.

There is a new light rail system in the south of the city, but at the moment it only runs along the South Blvd corridor, which isn't the nicest place to live. They are building some nice looking apartments on the rail line closer to Uptown, I'm not sure what they are called but they are in the South End area. South Park and Ballantyne are nice - lots of town homes, bars and shops. But they are a 20 minute drive in to Uptown on a good day.

I'd say drive around and see what interests you. I agree with Okuda that renting for a while to truly size up the neighbourhood might be a good idea.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I'm from Kent too :) Going back next week for a visit.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Aye my first spring here that totally killed me. I never suffered from hayfever before I came to NC.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Whereabouts in Kent? I'm from Folkestone originally, but lived near Maidstone for a while as well. I was back last month, and am going again in May. Trying to get as many trips in as possible before we have kids.

Agreed about the allergies, I've been sneezing like crazy all week. I mowed the weeds that make up my lawn yesterday and it just about killed me...

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Just down the road in Canterbury :) Aye this will be the last trip till after the sprog is born.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I've been told that people who never had allergies in their life develop all sorts of things in NC... my fiancee suffers big time, especially this time of year. The changeable weather in Spring takes getting used to too I hear.

In fact, this time 2 weeks ago on March 2nd, I woke up at my in-laws place in Cleveland County to 9 INCHES of snow which fell in just 1 night...! The whole place came to a standstill. But by the end of the week, it was warm and very sunny - bizarre!

Enjoy your visits back to the UK - but avoid London, it's NOT the place it used to be.... :(

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I had all kinds of (life long) health problems when I lived in London. e.g. hayfever, eczema, asthma. However, since moving to NC I no longer have hayfever or any allergies whatsoever. One possible reason for this is that I have been drinking redbush (rooibos) tea for ten years now and it is said to be good for allergies.

My eczema is greatly reduced too to the point that I don't need to go to any doctor for treatment and I can use regular hand soap.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Hi....
I have lived in Charlotte since September '08 after being an expat for 6 years in England living in the Midlands and outside of London.
My opinion is it's nice but terribly boring after compared to the UK.

1. If you like to walk and be out and about you'll hate it..I can't even walk out of my subdivision - no foot paths , sidewalks, etc. Nobody gets out of their car. There's no High Street. There's no city centre in suburb areas. Very few parks or green space.
2. Socializing is very hard. I don't find it friendly here at all. Most Americans in general seem very stressy and preoccupied. No one will want to hear about anything.
3. The schools are rubbish. My kids used to love school. They don't here. It's not about learning here. Foreign language, arts, music, sports--- not important and may only get to be in one thing a year. My children's manners and behaviour have deteriorated.
4. There's really not much to do. If you like boring American suburbia rushing your kids around all w/e to their various sporting events , going to Target in your sweat pants and trainers, and eating greasy meals from a chain restaurant...then you'll love it here. Uptown Charlotte - not impressed - not much to do. There are some nice areas to drive to for the w/e - coast, mountains.
5. There's nice housing but can be expensive - not like prices in UK though. Food , utilities seem quite high compared with other places. There's quite a bit of taxes here.
6. It's very church oriented here and I find it a bit over-the-top.

Overall..it's not bad here but it's not great either. I think Charlotte is a bit over-rated. I don't understand the draw here as they get many newcomers. I would take my old life back any time. It was not my choice to come here but necessity for a job and I am trying my best to adjust.

Good luck to you.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Bear in mind you haven't even lived in Charlotte a year, it's not surprising that you've yet to find places to make friends, etc.

3. If your children's manners and behaviors have deteriorated, you as a parent should do something about that. It is partially a reflection of your parenting IMO.

4. No. 2 and no. 4 are related. I have at least two or three pastimes that have lead me to meet many, many people, some of whom are friends. If you have an interest you want to pursue, you can take classes. If you don't have money for classes, volunteer your time for a non-profit of interest. I participated in two local non-profit events this past weekend. I had a blast!

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

This is untrue, there are loads of parks and nature reserves all around Charlotte. I go to a lot of them on a regular basis as I love to be outside. There are numerous around the lake, there's a big one just off Harris Blvd, there's the state park up by exit 45 near Statesville and just an hour away are the mountains. There's Kings mountain just off 85m which is also lovely.

I don't think its hard to socialize, you just get back what you put in to it. Charlotte is a big "going out on the town" place full of just out of college young professionals. When we first moved here we made a group on facebook to meet new people. Most of people in Charlotte are transplants and in the same "know no one" boat as you. Our first meet had over 30 people. A lot of us as still friends 2 years later. There are a lot of meet up groups on meetup.com based in Charlotte too.
I had a friend who just moved here a year ago and she and her hubby knew absolutely no one, and she started a dinner club in her neighbourhood to get to know people. (Maybe not your cup of tea but you get the idea)


Eh I can totally believe this, Birkdale village on a Friday night is totally full of what I can only describe as the American version of chavs. Loud mouth'd lil gits who for example go around pulling the plants out and throwing them at shop windows. No better than the highstreet on a Friday night back home. I think a lot of it is to do with lack of a school uniform here, do you remember non school uniform days back home? Total bloody chaos, no one behaved.


Charlotte is a developing town, its never going to be a touristy place, (unless you count Carowinds) Its not nicknamed bank city for nothing. There's the new epi center, but like I said before the town is geared towards young just out of college professionals who main hobby is work and going out getting drunk.

House priced have really bottomed out at the moment, you can get a nice 4/5 bedroom house for a couple hundred grand. Or for a couple million you can live at the lake ;)

I get what you mean, but really, you're in the bible belt, what else do you expect? ;)

You've only been here 6 months, it takes time to adjust to anywhere, You'll get there and find your place. I felt totally dislocated when I first come here and was focusing on the negatives about how unlike England it is, and how the food was different and how I couldn't get anywhere, but then I realized you get out what you put in and at the end of the day this *isn't* England and I have to adjust to the country not the other way around.
Once I put some effort in to finding meet up groups of interest, got on some local forums (If you're wife is interested there is a local Mums network that has a forum and they organize all kinds of kids crap to do, its exhausting just reading how busy they are) I utilized face book and my space to meet new friends. I hope you start feeling better about it all soon :)

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I have to agree with Sanna, the Charlotte/Mecklenburg school system is not very good. It's over-stretched, under-funded and the schools are full to capacity. If the OP has kids they need to be very careful which area they move to if they want a good school. Some zones are better for schools than others.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

Hey - this is my opinion of Charlotte. I have moved so many times in my life and am aware that it takes time to adjust to new areas and situations and to make new aquaintances. However, of all the places I have lived...west, midwest, northeast, overseas...Charlotte has been my least favourite. It is over rated here - I just don't get why people want to come here voluntarily. That was just a few reasons I dislike it here. It's my opinion - not yours.

As for the parenting comment - you should really not comment about that when you don't know me or my kids. I am on them about respect, manners, and education etc. I have had to work with them all of the time to make up for the rubbish schooling here. The academics are easy. I had to talk to them about a bomb scare at the school this week. Scarey.

I'm aware it's the bible belt - it's great if you like that...it's not my thing.

If you want to drive to parks and to the mountains etc..that's great. But for day - to - day life -- I can't walk anywhere from my sub. There's one park I can drive to. I don't wish to drive 1-2 hours to go for a walk after work. There are no bike paths, running areas, or even shoulders on the roads for that matter. I can't walk to get milk or a newspaper. Drive, Drive, Drive.

Yes , there are ways to socialize. I know for me it's not hanging at the local YMCA or local Chilis.

It's just very unstimulating here, bland. It works for many - not me. Again - it's just an opinion for someone who asked a questiion. You should direct your opinion that way as well.

Re: Moving to Charlotte, NC...?
 

I haven't mentioned anything except the schools. Did you mean to quote another post?

Sue