I am getting married in June, and we are looking to move to a new city that doesn't involve 5-6 month winters, esp. since I've grown to despise snow. In August, we took a road trip down south, and scoped out Louisville, Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh. We narrowed it down to Charlotte and Raleigh, and after my fiancee has gotten several job interviews already lined up in Charlotte, we are focusing our attention there.

The thing is, for the longest time, I would hear about a place like Charlotte being one of those cities where people all flock to for job opportunities, and while we obviously want jobs, we are looking for a place that we can call our next home for a long time, not just the latest hotspot. We've both lived in NY our entire lives. While visiting, it was definitely the city that felt the most like home, and it seemed encouraging that people we were talking to while there were mentioning that people weren't moving there in droves like they were before.

So, I am wondering, for those who do live there, or closeby, is that the case? Does it seem like everyone is racing there for jobs still, or has it slowed down to a comfortable pace? And more importantly, what is it like to live there? Do you enjoy it? My main concern is that I find a city that I consider to be at least equal to, or better then Buffalo, that is still within a day's drive home.

I would imagine Charlotte would be struggling, since they are a huge banking center. But I don't really know. For my current job search, I'm focusing on Raleigh and Charlotte - not much happening at either location, as far as higher level positions in accounting for construction companies.

I like Charlotte, but prefer Raleigh. Charlotte feels more "southern" to me. But Charlotte also has the feel of a larger city - the Triangle is a group of smaller cities, whereas Charlotte is the main focus for that area.

I do enjoy the climate in NC. After living in NYC suburbs; San Diego; southern Nevada; southwestern Utah; Portland, OR; eastern NC ... NC has been my favorite place after San Diego.

I would imagine Charlotte would be struggling, since they are a huge banking center. But I don't really know. For my current job search, I'm focusing on Raleigh and Charlotte - not much happening at either location, as far as higher level positions in accounting for construction companies.

I like Charlotte, but prefer Raleigh. Charlotte feels more "southern" to me. But Charlotte also has the feel of a larger city - the Triangle is a group of smaller cities, whereas Charlotte is the main focus for that area.

I do enjoy the climate in NC. After living in NYC suburbs; San Diego; southern Nevada; southwestern Utah; Portland, OR; eastern NC ... NC has been my favorite place after San Diego.

You have to move a lot because they keep finding you ? :ninja:

Today's paper:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/04/1287176/as-jobless-rate-surges-flood-of.html

As you drive into Charlotte through the neighboring towns you will become aware of a faint, but persistant noise. The closer you get to downtown, the more you notice it. It sounds so familiar, then you realize it's like being on the inside of a vacuum. You are surrounded by constant sucking. Charlotte slowly and painfully draws all residents from as far even some cities in SC into it's local sucking phenomena. Your life will then be a constant fight to resist sucking as well.

No, I'm not bitter....

I lived in Rock Hill for a while with a couple summer jobs in Charlotte. I like Raleigh infinitely better.

what a sissified name for a city

what a sissified name for a cityIts nickname is the Queen City after all. :dontknow:

Its nickname is the Queer City after all. :dontknow:

fixed

I lived in Rock Hill for a while with a couple summer jobs in Charlotte. I like Raleigh infinitely better.

:wave::wave::wave:

I lived in Rock Hill for 31 years until last June.


OP....be aware that the taxes in Charlotte (Mecklenburg county) are very high. People are moving out of the area for this reason. If you go over the border (gasp!!!) into SC (Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Clover) they will be significantly lower. However, folks in Mecklenburg tend to be elitist and insist that everyone in SC lives in trailers, dont own shoes and smoke Marlboro reds. The ignorance is really amazing.

Personally, I'd pick Raleigh. Mostly because I hate Charlotte. What kind of job are you seeking?

I'm quite surprised no one mentioned this...CRIME...All the crime comes FROM Charlotte. I mean you might be used to this living in NY but damn i moved to mooresville(about 20miles from Charlotte) now im in Cornelius(even closer to Charlotte), but i would never live right in the city. I've never in my life seen so much crime(im from a small town in Florida so like i said you may be used to this). Also you never mentioned if you had kids or not..That would be another deciding factor. I've never went to school here but IMO i think the schools in Florida were by far better. I would definitely look into living in an outer city besides Charlotte or even Raleigh. BTW i actually love it here, I miss my family in Florida but really like living here. Hope this helps.

:wave::wave::wave:

I lived in Rock Hill for 31 years until last June.


OP....be aware that the taxes in Charlotte (Mecklenburg county) are very high. People are moving out of the area for this reason. If you go over the border (gasp!!!) into SC (Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Clover) they will be significantly lower. However, folks in Mecklenburg tend to be elitist and insist that everyone in SC lives in trailers, dont own shoes and smoke Marlboro reds. The ignorance is really amazing.

Personally, I'd pick Raleigh. Mostly because I hate Charlotte. What kind of job are you seeking?

Lol, well, Rock Hill is where my fiancee did her fieldwork last year, and is where one of her interviews is, so it's actually a strong possibility for us. As far as taxes go, I hail from a city where you can find a $60,000 home with a $4,000 tax bill, and outside of California, we've got the highest gas prices in the country, so I'm used to being taxed to death. I'm in banking, mortgage related.

I'm quite surprised no one mentioned this...CRIME...All the crime comes FROM Charlotte. I mean you might be used to this living in NY but damn i moved to mooresville(about 20miles from Charlotte) now im in Cornelius(even closer to Charlotte), but i would never live right in the city. I've never in my life seen so much crime(im from a small town in Florida so like i said you may be used to this). Also you never mentioned if you had kids or not..That would be another deciding factor. I've never went to school here but IMO i think the schools in Florida were by far better. I would definitely look into living in an outer city besides Charlotte or even Raleigh. BTW i actually love it here, I miss my family in Florida but really like living here. Hope this helps.

That's rather surprising, because all the crime statistics I've read show that Charlotte has less crime then Buffalo.

That's rather surprising, because all the crime statistics I've read show that Charlotte has less crime then Buffalo.They look pretty similar. Violent crime in Charlotte is higher than in Buffalo. linly (http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1=53611000&city2=53712000)

They look pretty similar. Violent crime in Charlotte is higher than in Buffalo. linly (http://www.bestplaces.net/crime/?city1=53611000&city2=53712000)

When I looked up info, i t was based on actual numbers, and while Charlottes was slightly higher then buffalo, it's also twice as big, which I had put into consideration.

Liftedpsd where in Florida are you from?

As for Charlotte, I'll stick to Asheville. I hated Charlotte, and really can't find much of a reason to since my visits there have all been pretty good.

Liftedpsd where in Florida are you from?

As for Charlotte, I'll stick to Asheville. I hated Charlotte, and really can't find much of a reason to since my visits there have all been pretty good.

:nono: Asheville is a cool city... but the people are very weird. :crazy:

MLV is right regarding Charlotte and the downturn in banking. Several of my friends found law jobs in Charlotte focusing on transactional work in banking law and, after several were laid off, others are worried that the banking industry is still not stable enough to make up for the job losses suffered in Charlotte.
I prefer the Raleigh area because it has a more diverse industry base with RTP close by. But then I am in technology, so a banking center will likely never be a draw for me.

:nono: Asheville is a cool city... but the people are very weird. :crazy:

You're also assuming I'd want to talk to the people.

I'm very solitary.

:nono: Asheville is a cool city... but the people are very weird. :crazy:

You say that like it's a bad thing. :lmao:

I moved to Charlotte in 1991, after 12 years of living in Columbia, SC. I can say I like Charlotte better. But if I had things my way, I'd live somewhere in the country, about 20 to 30 miles outside of town. (The wife prefers living in the city.-- think Green Acres.)

One of the best things about living in or around Charlotte is it's only a few hours' drive from either the mountains or the beach. Good luck, whatever you decide. :wave:

OP,

Charlotte has it's good points and bad points, but so does every other city in the world.

Charlotte is the number two banking center city in the United States, but there are a lot of other industries in and around Charlotte.

Mecklenburg county taxes are high (for North Carolina), but you can live outside the county and commute like thousands of others. As far as taxes, there are some things to consider .....

Charlotte/Mecklenburg property taxes are 84¢ per $100 valuation.
Raleigh/Wake property taxes are 54¢ per $100 valuation.

A 2,500 square foot house in Mecklenburg county may have a tax value of $200,000, with a tax bill of $1680.
While the same 2,500 square foot house in Wake county has a tax value of $350,000, with a tax bill of $1890.

As far as Charlotte goes, there are a lot of attractions .....

Lake Norman - the 50 square mile man-made lake with 520 miles of shoreline.
Carowinds - a 108 acres amusement park.
Museums - Levine Museum, Carolina Aviation Museum, Discovery Place, Mint Museum, Charlotte Museum of History, etc.
Charlotte Aquatic Center - a world class water sports and exercise park.
Restaurants - hundreds of different cuisines.
2 1/2 hours from the Atlantic ocean.
2 hours from the Blue Ridge mountains.



IMO, Charlotte as well as Raleigh would be a great place to live.

If you have any specific questions, just ask or PM me.

OP,

Charlotte has it's good points and bad points, but so does every other city in the world.

Charlotte is the number two banking center city in the United States, but there are a lot of other industries in and around Charlotte.

Mecklenburg county taxes are high (for North Carolina), but you can live outside the county and commute like thousands of others. As far as taxes, there are some things to consider .....

Charlotte/Mecklenburg property taxes are 84¢ per $100 valuation.
Raleigh/Wake property taxes are 54¢ per $100 valuation.

A 2,500 square foot house in Mecklenburg county may have a tax value of $200,000, with a tax bill of $1680.
While the same 2,500 square foot house in Wake county has a tax value of $350,000, with a tax bill of $1890.

As far as Charlotte goes, there are a lot of attractions .....

Lake Norman - the 50 square mile man-made lake with 520 miles of shoreline.
Carowinds - a 108 acres amusement park.
Museums - Levine Museum, Carolina Aviation Museum, Discovery Place, Mint Museum, Charlotte Museum of History, etc.
Charlotte Aquatic Center - a world class water sports and exercise park.
Restaurants - hundreds of different cuisines.
2 1/2 hours from the Atlantic ocean.
2 hours from the Blue Ridge mountains.



IMO, Charlotte as well as Raleigh would be a great place to live.

If you have any specific questions, just ask or PM me.

Grizzley, if that is what you consider expensive for taxes, then I think I'm gonna be in good shape. Double that and you'll understand what we pay here, so that will actually be savings. I am definitely more of a city person, and I like the layout of charlotte. In spite of those annoying annoying speed bumps, the layout feels much more open. When I was there last, driving around the city (not specifically uptown area), felt just like you would driving around the suburbs here. Apparently when they first designed Buffalo, it was a starburst design, and then when it got more populated, they laid down a grid, and it's always a PITA to drive into the city. Another thing for out consideration, is that my fiancees sister lives in a town called Bedford, VA, which is right outside of Roanoke. In addition, her parents are moving about an hour away from her sister. To travel from Bedford to Charlotte is all highways, and to travel from Bedford to Raleigh is all backroads

Today's paper:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/04/1287176/as-jobless-rate-surges-flood-of.html

nice post. I read everyday how great is there but its not easy to find a job in the financial sector. love the carolinas. spent 3 months in Columbia, SC

My DD lives outside of charlotte(concord) because of how expensive meck county is but she works in charlotte(finance) and everytime I go visit I think she must be nuts.The concord outlet area is Crazy with traffic.Since her Office just closed she has had alot of job possibilities in finance so there are still jobs there but she has found what she use to do for 50K they want her to do for 40K.Most people work in charlotte but actually live elsewhere I have found.

I love Charlotte, moved down about 3 years ago from upstate NY looking for a job. Found one in 2 weeks. But that was years ago, now it's harder to find a job but tons of people are getting hired too so jobs are out there. There's only high crime in certain areas and you learn to avoid those. Living uptown will cost big $$$. I live in the university area of Charlotte, more towards northlake and it's very nice. I love going uptown for the nightlife.

Liftedpsd where in Florida are you from?

As for Charlotte, I'll stick to Asheville. I hated Charlotte, and really can't find much of a reason to since my visits there have all been pretty good.

Was born in coral springs, moved to Lake Wales when i was 12, then moved to north carolina about 2 years ago.

I grew up in Charlotte- lived there my whole life until 1997. I then moved to Raleigh and now live in Cary (there is a distinction if you live in the Triangle). I personally like it better in the Triangle. The cost of living is better, the schools are better, the universities are better, and the economy seems to be, well, better. Charlotte can be very congested with traffic and the crime isn't great either. I would never move back there, but I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

If you'd like to ask me anymore questions you can email me at ekgibson(at)nc(dot)rr(dot)com

Have you looked in SC? Greenville to be exact? The weather is awesome, the scenery beautiful, its constantly growning, and things aren't overly expensive. You can buy a beautiful house (depending on the size you want) for as little as $120,000 starting, or less depending on if you are in the market for a foreclosure. Not to mention we are only about 4-6 hrs from a beach, 45 min to Charlotte and about the same to Asheville. You really should check it out.

I grew up in Charlotte- lived there my whole life until 1997. I then moved to Raleigh and now live in Cary (there is a distinction if you live in the Triangle). I personally like it better in the Triangle. The cost of living is better, the schools are better, the universities are better, and the economy seems to be, well, better. Charlotte can be very congested with traffic and the crime isn't great either. I would never move back there, but I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

If you'd like to ask me anymore questions you can email me at ekgibson(at)nc(dot)rr(dot)com

the rest of my family recently moved to cary from florida.

they wouldn't go back to florida for the world.

me, i live in the midwest and prefer that to either.

I am getting married in June, and we are looking to move to a new city that doesn't involve 5-6 month winters, esp. since I've grown to despise snow. In August, we took a road trip down south, and scoped out Louisville, Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh. We narrowed it down to Charlotte and Raleigh, and after my fiancee has gotten several job interviews already lined up in Charlotte, we are focusing our attention there.

The thing is, for the longest time, I would hear about a place like Charlotte being one of those cities where people all flock to for job opportunities, and while we obviously want jobs, we are looking for a place that we can call our next home for a long time, not just the latest hotspot. We've both lived in NY our entire lives. While visiting, it was definitely the city that felt the most like home, and it seemed encouraging that people we were talking to while there were mentioning that people weren't moving there in droves like they were before.

So, I am wondering, for those who do live there, or closeby, is that the case? Does it seem like everyone is racing there for jobs still, or has it slowed down to a comfortable pace? And more importantly, what is it like to live there? Do you enjoy it? My main concern is that I find a city that I consider to be at least equal to, or better then Buffalo, that is still within a day's drive home.

You're from Buffalo?

I had no idea. :bounce:

Have you looked in SC? Greenville to be exact? The weather is awesome, the scenery beautiful, its constantly growning, and things aren't overly expensive. You can buy a beautiful house (depending on the size you want) for as little as $120,000 starting, or less depending on if you are in the market for a foreclosure. Not to mention we are only about 4-6 hrs from a beach, 45 min to Charlotte and about the same to Asheville. You really should check it out.


Actually, it's a bit farther than 45 minutes as it's about 90-100 miles from Greenville to Charlotte and about 125 to Atlanta. Also, Charleston is about 3 1/2 hours from Greenville.

Greenville is a great place to live.

Actually, it's a bit farther than 45 minutes as it's about 90-100 miles from Greenville to Charlotte and about 125 to Atlanta. Also, Charleston is about 3 1/2 hours from Greenville.

Greenville is a great place to live.

Yeah, Greenville is more than 45 mins to Charlotte because it takes me an hour to go from Spartanburg to the Charlotte airport. Greenville is about an hour and 30 mins to downtown Charlotte.

It takes me anywhere from 45 min to an hour to go from gsp airport to charlotte. It depends on driving and traffic. I didn't say from downtown to downtown.

But either way its close to a lot, and not as expensive as Charlotte :) my fiance is from Asheville and he hates anything to with NC because he says everything is way overpriced, no matter where you go. You pay tax on groceries there!

I was just revisiting this thread, and I just wanted to let people know that after we got married we did end up packing up and shipping down to charlotte after all. My wife has family around Roanoke, VA, and it's far easier getting there from here, them raleigh. We live in the Steele Creek area, right around the corner from carowinds, and have been here for 3 weeks now.

My wife has a job lined up after the gets her license, and I just got hired to work at BOA in a couple of weeks. We haven't ventured too far out of southwest charlotte, but we love the area quite a bit so far. Harris Teeter has been my favorite place here so far.

Congratulations to you both :) We just moved down to West Palm Beach FL due to my SO's job from North/South Carolina. It's a big thing! Good luck!

I was just revisiting this thread, and I just wanted to let people know that after we got married we did end up packing up and shipping down to charlotte after all. My wife has family around Roanoke, VA, and it's far easier getting there from here, them raleigh. We live in the Steele Creek area, right around the corner from carowinds, and have been here for 3 weeks now.

My wife has a job lined up after the gets her license, and I just got hired to work at BOA in a couple of weeks. We haven't ventured too far out of southwest charlotte, but we love the area quite a bit so far. Harris Teeter has been my favorite place here so far.

OP,

If you like Harris Teeter, which is where we shop 80% of the time, try Bloom and if one is near you Fresh Market.

Congrats on your move! I hope you enjoy the Charlotte area as much as we do.

:cool:

Definitely have dinner at Jim and Nicks, if you haven't already. Their barbeque is excellent, if a little pricey.

OP,

If you like Harris Teeter, which is where we shop 80% of the time, try Bloom and if one is near you Fresh Market.

Congrats on your move! I hope you enjoy the Charlotte area as much as we do.

:cool:

Thanks, I see you changed your sn on here too. I'll be working uptown when I start, so it will give me an opportunity to explore there as well. When it comes time to buy a home, we will likely look in the Fort Mill area, as I've always been a typical suburbanite.