North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Hi all

Following on from my original thread regarding US Visas, we are currently looking at North Carolina. The main reason is my US office is there in Reidsville so would be the most likely place for a transfer.

However, after a week or so of research it looks a very beautiful place to set up but after reviewing fizber.com, it doesn't seem the safest place. It also seems to have significantly depreciating property prices.

Violent Crime and Crime are well above average and property depreciated in the last 12 months.

My questions:

Where in North Carolina is somewhere safe, clean and nice to live in?
I would like a nice house, can be small but needs to have a small amount of land and above all, a nice area?
Not too far from international/domestic airport(s)
Plenty to do such as mountain biking/walking etc.
Not too much snow, don't mind a dusting but not wanting to be snowed in!

Commutable to Reidsville if possible.

Failing North Carolina, I have been looking at the New England area or Portland, Oregon area.

Any help appreciated or links.

Many thanks:thumbup:

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

This is my wholly personal response to your post. I live in NC and have done so for nearly six years.

I had heard of Reidsville and looked it up on the map then realized why I'd heard of it. Reidsville is in the boonies of NC.

I don't know too much about Greensboro which is a big city (part of the Triad) reasonably close to Reidsville. That might be a place that may fit most of your criteria but please check on the internet. I don't think there are any direct international flights from Greensboro but I might be mistaken.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Thanks for the response, I assume Boonies is not a good thing?

It is manufacturing related, the company so whether that makes any difference as that industry here is typically in the outer suburbs.

I have read about the Triad, the 3 towns I think. Will check them out, thanks.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

your right there are no direct international flights to Greensboro.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

just to let you know the boonies means "way out in the country" and I live in Greensboro so if you have any questions, just give us a shout...

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Also you have to note that US real estate is taking a hit at the moment all over the country. It is a buyers' market these days; not a sellers. However, that changes frequently. Even before the downturn, NC and SC property prices are quite affordable. You get a lot for your money in terms of house and property.

As for crime rates, you aren't going to find any place crime free. Also crimes tend to happen in poorer neighborhoods so you must bear that in mind when looking.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

As Rete has already pointed out you get alot of house for your money in NC. Its one of the reasons that people are moving here in the thousands from other states.

I haven't read the crime statistics but after living in NC for just over 10 years I can tell you from my personal experience that I feel very safe here (currently living in Charlotte) and think the state in general is a nice place to bring up kids. Many of the kids you interact with here are being brought up the southern way and will call you sir or ma'am and seem very respectful. Both NC and SC are becoming popular places with people moving down from the Northern states. My personal preference of a place to live in NC is a town called Winston-Salem, (about 25 mins west of Greensboro), its a small city/large town but still manages to retain a "small town" feel. The schools are pretty good there too.

Downside? Well I don't know your feelings on religion but if you are not religious or a regular church goer it may take you a while to get used to the church culture here. NC is in the bible belt and almost everyone attends church. In all the time I've lived here I've only known two people who did not attend church. Most peoples social lives also revolve around the church. I am just mentioning it because it was a big culture shock for me when we first moved here and it took me a little time to adjust.

Overall I think NC is a lovely state, but have only visited other states and not lived in them so can't compare one state with another.

Good luck with where ever you decided to move to.

Sue

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

It looks like you wouldn't be too far from either Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham, both of which have International Airports. Charlotte has regular flights to London Gatwick (I think) and Raleigh-Durham has a daily flight to London Gatwick, soon to change to Heathrow. We live over in Wake County, which is a nice part of North Carolina, low crime, good schools, affordable property. But it's a bit too far from Reidsville, from the look of it. NC is a great state to be in, though. Good luck with thinking about the move.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Hi

It really depend on how much of a commute you'd find reasonable.Greensboro is a nice city with many family activities including but not limited to golf and tennis,excellent resturants,shopping,nice receational parks,many famous music entertainers perform at the coliseum, good hopitals,very good school system including several universities.North Carolina is a out doorsy state for those who like Hiking and Biking and you can find that activity in most regions of the state.

There is a theater for the Performing Arts in High Point and I think also in Greensboro.Close enough to drive to professional sporting events in Charlotte.Nationally speaking the crime is low in the triad area which includes Greensboro,Winston Salem and High Point.In terms of crime I would stir clear of buying in Charlotte and Durham both having national higher statistics for crime.Keep in mind that higher in this case does not mean you'd have any problems in either place.My father,a cousin and my brother all have lived in Charlotte at different times with out any incidents.My cousin loves living in Charlotte.

Basicly greensboro is a college town with in a city.The commute from reidsville to greensboro is about 24 miles/27 minutes.No time at all in decent traffic.I spent the better part of my youth living near Jamestown only minutes away from High Point North Carolina.Don't be concern at all about the falling home prices, that is a hugh plus for buyers who are currently house shopping.You can more than likely save about 15-20% on a home purchase because of all the homes sitting unsold on the market.This situation will not last pass early 2009 prices will reverse and start to trend upward.

If you like a country feel but want to be near the city try Jamestown. Excellent homes in gated communities and only 8-10 minutes away from greenboro.You can REALLY get your money's worth when buying a home in most areas of north carolina.$150k-$200k buys a very comfortable home.Spend $250k-$300k and you are living in a fully brick new home with all the lastest conviences.$400k-$500k buys you the posh life style with pool +being on or near golf course.Living in Florida as I do cost me more than double for amentities that North Carolina offers. All I can add is enjoy!!

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Thanks so much for the replies, some great feedback there!

The prices seem very reasonable especially compared to our apartment here in the city of Melbourne. My only concern would be earnings if the property is that affordable, I would have to suss that out through work.

Based on the feedback so far:

I don't mind religion but am not a regular church goer myself. I have my beliefs and everyone is entitled to them so happy to live amongst church goers as long as I get a good quality of life.

Living somewhere near Mountain Bike trails, lakes, walking tracks would be awesome. Somewhere with restaurants, hustle and bustle within driving distance if needed but a nice quiet peaceful town and suburb would tick all the boxes.

We will be in the US in the first 3 weeks of June this year and are making NC a stop on our tour so any places to check out are all gratefully received.

Thanks again :thumbup:

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Best north Carolina cities with amazing mountain views and the conviences of city life imo are........

Winston Salem and Ashville

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Boonies = nowhere

+ves: privacy, quiet, lots of land, cheaper property.

-ves: poor choice of grocery stores, etc. Also, far from medical facilities/doctors. Not a good choice of schools, Have to drive far to get to places.

I've driven around many parts of NC (particulary western and central NC) that are the boonies and though the areas have all the positive aspects, I'd like to be near good medical facilities even though I've yet to go to an American hospital as a patient.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I want to comment on the crime in Durham. Like any city of its size, Durham has some crime but I look at the crime mapper thingy on the Durham Police Department's website from time to time. It becomes clear that crime tends to cluster in particular neighborhoods. i.e. in eastern and central Durham.

I wouldn't be surprised if my comments were true for Charlotte too.

Another thing, I find it quite amusing that people who say Durham is dangerous or say things like "I wouldn't want to live in Durham" are quite frequently those who've never been to Durham or if they have, have only been to the shopping areas, Duke or the downtown district.

My only comment about High Point is that I couldn't believe how many tattoo shops I saw during my overnight (furniture buying) trip in High Point a few years back.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

How many guns do you have in your house??? .....

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

That is none of your business and you know the main purpose of the firearms in my household.:rolleyes:

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I know nothing ,.....so its quite a lot .,...

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I'll never have as many as you have in your home!:D

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

But I dont live in "Safe" NC

and I bet your getting close though ....LOL

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

So you have nothing to add about NC really?

Have you ever visited NC?

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Only an airport in 1971

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Several Tattoo shops in High Point? My goodness High Point is trying to be Hip! Now days when ever I think about High Point its usually when I hear a great song from my High school days like Journey or John "Cougar" Mellancamp or Stevie Nicks.It was GREAT growing up and being a kid in North Carolina!

BTW,High Point is the best place to buy high end furniture at a discount price.Maybe the least expensive place in the United States for luxury furniture.Thomasville,Henredon(SP) furniture is very well made.As a teen I and some friends got jobs during the furniture market convention as bartenders.Guess who didn't even drink or was legally old enough? I was tall for my age:D

Yes I agree with you how perception about a place can be over blown and far from the complete actual facts. North Carolina is a very safe state to live .Enfact there were times our doors went unlocked at night and there was never a concern that someone would attempt to enter our home.My mom bought a beautiful home in a gated Jamestown community in 1994 and sold it in 2000.The neighborhood safety stayed the same from day one till she sold the house.

You could leave your car doors unlocked and bikes out all night.In terms of safety that neighborhood was as safe as being in your mother's arms.No problems and I'm sure despite national statistics there are many areas of Durham which offer the same safety. I would agree you are correct to say that those issues in Durham and charlotte are area specific.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Cool, good to hear the feedback. Liking the look of Jamestown and Winston Salem a lot. Will grab a map of the area soon and plan out some routes :)

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Tell me more about this 'bible belt' stuff! I've been hearing about it for years, but living in the Bay Area, I'm oblivious to it.

So I live with my girlfriend of 14 years and have no desire or need to get married; she's non-white; and I haven't been to church since I was 5 years old.

Does this mean I'd get bricks through my windows? Weekly visits from the 'save the heathens' club? No membership at the Country Club? Or just no-one talking to me at the grocery store checkout? :)

I don't particularly dislike religious people, but I also don't think the Christians have any monopoly of common sense compared to the Jews, the Hindus, etc. So I suspect I may have a bit of a hard time of it in such a state.

It's a pity because I hear many great things about the state.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

No nothing like that. I've always been made to feel welcome in this state. Its just as most people socialize through their church it can be a little harder to make friends socially. I'm "unchurched" and have never had anyone say anything bad to me, but my friendships are limited and the couple of friends I do have only go so deep because I don't have the belief system they do. However, saying that I also know of people who go to church and say they "believe" but they actually don't and they only go to church for "networking" opportunities.:unsure:

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I thik the last statment is very true no matter what part of the country you live in. Many churchgoers participate for the "what's in it for me" reason rather than because of a deep belief.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I'm USC & have lived in US my entire 42+ years. I LOVE NC & wish I could move there for many reasons. .... but close to a major city like Asheville.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I don't know if this applies to all of NC but my part of NC is pretty religiously diverse. In Durham there's plenty of Christian churches of many denominations (including Lutheran and Moravian) plus a Unitarian church and a synagogue. Within 25 mins drive, there's at least two Hindu temples (I've visited one for Diwali in the past). So, many religious faiths are represented in my immediate area.

On the other hand, a Japanese friend of mine bought a used car from a dealership maybe an hour's drive north of Durham. The salesperson gave her a Bible as well as handing over the car!

So, personally speaking, the "Bible Belt" stuff doesn't affect me. If you want to get involved in it, you can. I just like being able to get to places on a Sunday morning during church hours. Fewer vehicles on the road!:)

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I love Asheville too but it's a town, not a city. I think that's one reason it has its charm.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

You're right....I used the term very loosely. It's pretty big though for NC.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

10th biggest in terms of population. See:
http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-NorthCarolina.html

Cary has a bigger population and that's a town too.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I've been there too. It's grown over the years.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

NC is a lovely place to live. I've lived in Charlotte for 5 years now. It is clean, good weather, good food, lovely people, plenty of work. I do not live in the main part of the city but in southern Charlotte. Yes this is the Bible belt, I do not find anyone has ever pushed their beliefs or ways of living etc upon me. People are for the most very nice indeed.
My Daughters go to Universtity in Chapel Hill, Durham, that is also a very nice area. My youngest initially went to Asheville before transferring, but Asheville is indeed a very pretty and arty town also. All in all I would highly recommend lving here.
As for housing you can indeed have so much choice. Last I read the housing bubble has not burst here yet and Charlotte is in the top 10 list for top growing and developing cities.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I agree with this post and just want to add that there is a website(can't remember where I saw it) that illustrate which states have seen the greatest appreciation/depreciation of home prices nationwide as well as showing which areas are under priced and proving to be great values.

North Carolina is in the column as being a great value for a home purchase because its considered a area that did not see the wild over priced swings which effected many regions in America.The Triad area and the Charlotte area is rated as great buys and are seen as rock solid investments because of what you get for less money.

The Raleigh,Durham area has seen much higher home price appreciation and that area has also seen a slight price correction in negative territory.That certainly is good news for anyone who is thinking about jumping into the housing market.Living in Florida I sometime get very jealous of how much a person can buy in North Carolina:curse:

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

So is the consensus that friends are made through the church?

Am I likely to meet people who want to go for a beer just so I can gauge?

We will definately be visiting in June but the more back ground info I can get the better as we will have a limited time there. Any recommendations on places to stay too would be appreciated :)

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Church is just one place to make friends. I've made friends through other channels, e.g. neighbors, coworkers, through pastimes/hobbies.

I don't go to church either.

As for places to stay in Reidsville, you should ask at the Reidsville office for suggestions. I don't imagine there's that many choices because it's a small town.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I will ask them and see what they come back.

Now looking into other visas incase I can't get over with the current company.

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

What is North Carolina like for poisonous animals/reptiles/creatures?

Can I safely go Mountain Biking without being attacked by a tiger snake equivilant and can my cats go outside without being attacked?

:)

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

There are some poisonous snakes and spiders, but you are not likely to see then unless you start poking around in old wood piles, wading through swamps, or crawling under your house. ;)

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

I live in NC, does anyone know of anything to do, like nightlife?! Major culture shock going on, there are no clubs, no decent pubs, all there are, are about 50 million restaurants and churches. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!
The only music anyone seems to like is hip hop, rap, country. I want to find a club that plays trance, house, garage, decent music, basically. The only club I can find that play anything decent is a gay one. I think my husband and I would get funny looks if we went in there.
I love the area for the weather, it is pretty everywhere, clean, etc. but it's soooo damn boring!

Re: North Carolina - A place to live?
 

Yes, there's clubs in NC. Since there's universities in each Triangle city/town, there's clubs to suit all tastes. Radio stations too. I like WXYC based in Chapel Hill which is independent and plays a huge variety of music that isn't heard on commercial stations.

Read the News and Observer (Raleigh/Wake focused) or the Independent (Durham focused) for listings.

Life's what you make it!:)