Anyone in the Raleigh/ Durham area?

[premiershine9]

Hey all!

Just poking around here- anyone located near Raleigh? Only one that comes to mind in NC is Scotty.

Since my sophomore year Raleigh/ Durham area has been on my list of places to hop next after graduation. My parents sorta copied my idea and looked at some golf communities down there as well- looks like Spring time both me and my fam will be headed down.

Just wanted to get some input on how you like the area/ some good places to live.....etc.

Thanks!
- Dan

[BLINGMW]

I like it :thumbup:
Another good friend, previous coworker of mine, also a Dan lives there. But there's probably room for two Dans.
Seems like a really cool area and he claims the job market is good. He'll often send me job openings and trying to talk me into moving there.
Live near the Flying Saucer and life will be good. :mrgreen:

[WRXtranceformed]

I'm in Charlotte and travel to Raleigh lots on business. Raleigh was listed one of the best places to live in America recently. I personally think that's more for families though. Charlotte is WAY better for the younger crowd. I have had several friends move to Raleigh from Charlotte and wished they hadn't.

But don't let that sway you, Raleigh / Research Triangle is a pretty awesome place. Great golf, great sports, etc.

If you do move down I will be pretty ecstatic, because my car needs your services badly. In fact, I would pay your gas to drive from Raleigh to Charlotte to do the Caddy.

[Mike]

Don't know palces to live, but have a handful of friends down there as well... All love it.

[ScottyB]

i'm a little more to the west in the Chapel Hill area but venture into Durham and Raleigh from time to time. if you have any specific questions I'll tell you whatever I can. I lived in Atlanta (inside the beltway) for 5 years before coming here in 2010 and have never looked back. Due to my wife's job we may move again in 2 years or so but I've told her if we ended up staying here I'd be perfectly happy. You're literally 3 hours or less from almost anything you'd want in any direction. 3 weeks ago I was fly fishing in the mountains in Wilkesboro and 2 weeks ago I was at the coast with family....both trips were made under 3 hours. Great weather....I forget where I read this but scientifically, Chapel HIll (and therefore pretty much the whole triangle) sees more sunny days than almost anywhere in the US.

For your parents, its a great place to retire and its easy to stay in a community or neighborhood that offers a lot while still being quiet or offering some nice amount of land. For you, the job/housing market has stayed more stable than many areas in the eastern seaboard and is growing. Lee is right on in that Charlotte is a better scene for a younger crowd and is more developed as a metro area with all the stuff to do that a place like that brings. Raleigh is more spread out and more community living/work focused although there is still a nice amount of stuff to do. Durham used to be a dump but has really turned around in the last 10 or 15 years and is now has big areas of really neat neighborhoods. If you like BBQ, you cannot beat this state. If you travel, both RDU and Charlotte are really nice, clean airports from my experience, and they're easy to get to.

From a motorsports persepective, NC rocks. You have CMP, Roebling, Charlotte, Road Atlanta, and Richmond within an easy day's drive or less. VIR is an hour away, even less if I can get out before the morning rush hour. Lots of car culture, especially US classics (we're the home of shine running after all).

Drawbacks - taxes are high, food and gas are more expensive too. From Raleigh east to within a mile of the coast is a wasteland. Some of the big commute-to-work-and-back subdivision areas like Cary and Apex are pretty sterile and have been built with no character. We're too warm in the winter to get much snow so we just get ice instead. It can sometimes be hotter than Zeus's taint in the summer (the year we moved here it was consistently hotter than Atlanta, which has a reputation for being miserable).

I could talk your ear off just let me know what else you'd like to know.

[.RJ]

hotter than Zeus's taint in the summer

:lol:

[premiershine9]

I'm in Charlotte and travel to Raleigh lots on business. Raleigh was listed one of the best places to live in America recently. I personally think that's more for families though. Charlotte is WAY better for the younger crowd. I have had several friends move to Raleigh from Charlotte and wished they hadn't.

But don't let that sway you, Raleigh / Research Triangle is a pretty awesome place. Great golf, great sports, etc.

If you do move down I will be pretty ecstatic, because my car needs your services badly. In fact, I would pay your gas to drive from Raleigh to Charlotte to do the Caddy.

I will check out Charlotte as well- I'm open to suggestions! Sounds like I'll be making a trip soon(ish)!

[premiershine9]

i'm a little more to the west in the Chapel Hill area but venture into Durham and Raleigh from time to time. if you have any specific questions I'll tell you whatever I can. I lived in Atlanta (inside the beltway) for 5 years before coming here in 2010 and have never looked back. Due to my wife's job we may move again in 2 years or so but I've told her if we ended up staying here I'd be perfectly happy. You're literally 3 hours or less from almost anything you'd want in any direction. 3 weeks ago I was fly fishing in the mountains in Wilkesboro and 2 weeks ago I was at the coast with family....both trips were made under 3 hours. Great weather....I forget where I read this but scientifically, Chapel HIll (and therefore pretty much the whole triangle) sees more sunny days than almost anywhere in the US.

For your parents, its a great place to retire and its easy to stay in a community or neighborhood that offers a lot while still being quiet or offering some nice amount of land. For you, the job/housing market has stayed more stable than many areas in the eastern seaboard and is growing. Lee is right on in that Charlotte is a better scene for a younger crowd and is more developed as a metro area with all the stuff to do that a place like that brings. Raleigh is more spread out and more community living/work focused although there is still a nice amount of stuff to do. Durham used to be a dump but has really turned around in the last 10 or 15 years and is now has big areas of really neat neighborhoods. If you like BBQ, you cannot beat this state. If you travel, both RDU and Charlotte are really nice, clean airports from my experience, and they're easy to get to.

From a motorsports persepective, NC rocks. You have CMP, Roebling, Charlotte, Road Atlanta, and Richmond within an easy day's drive or less. VIR is an hour away, even less if I can get out before the morning rush hour. Lots of car culture, especially US classics (we're the home of shine running after all).

Drawbacks - taxes are high, food and gas are more expensive too. From Raleigh east to within a mile of the coast is a wasteland. Some of the big commute-to-work-and-back subdivision areas like Cary and Apex are pretty sterile and have been built with no character. We're too warm in the winter to get much snow so we just get ice instead. It can sometimes be hotter than Zeus's taint in the summer (the year we moved here it was consistently hotter than Atlanta, which has a reputation for being miserable).

I could talk your ear off just let me know what else you'd like to know.

Trust me its nowhere near as bad as Northern Guidoville- my rents have been keeping me in the process of looking at new homes and all the financial figures- the figures, tax, real estate etc. all are around 2/3 less than what we are paying now- hence the need for the family to move ASAP.

Mikes (my brothers) tuition is 56K and mines an average 32.... we're pretty strained right now and can't stay up in the north much longer.

I'll probably call ya soon Scotty and talk about the areas- looking to do ma healthcare administration thing at a good medical center and see where it takes me- I have a feeling I'm gonna stay with the Entrepreneur mindset and just take a risk and do what I love.

Anything is better than the armpit of the east coast- appreciate the help guys!

[premiershine9]

hotter than Zeus's taint in the summer

:lol:

LOL'd in the front row of class- damnit I thought I was safe by just staying away from the "Its friday and I'm bored thread"

[ScottyB]

Danno - if you roll down on your own just call, we've got a bed you can crash in. i'll take you around the area so you can get your bearings.

from a healthcare standpoint, its pretty good here. 3 major universities and their associated medical centers (UNC, Duke, NC state), plus a booming popluation of growing families means there are care centers all over.

I can't speak for other areas but the Chapel Hill chamber of commerce has been awesome to me. If you go the entrepreneur route i bet you'll have some solid support.

[WRXtranceformed]

Danno - if you roll down on your own just call, we've got a bed you can crash in. i'll take you around the area so you can get your bearings.

from a healthcare standpoint, its pretty good here. 3 major universities and their associated medical centers (UNC, Duke, NC state), plus a booming popluation of growing families means there are care centers all over.

I can't speak for other areas but the Chapel Hill chamber of commerce has been awesome to me. If you go the entrepreneur route i bet you'll have some solid support.

Ditto on the place to crash if you want to check out the queen city.

[Evan]

spent a week there doing some consulting for GSK a few years back.
Nice area, it is on my list of places that I would move whenever I finally cant stand nova anymore.
Its still got a little touch of the soulless suburban sprawl feel (especially research triangle) but its tolerable enough.