Best Area in the South East
#21
Pro
I've got to chime in, grew up here an lived here most of my life and love it. In 3 hrs you can be at the beach or mountains . Cops here don't have a problem with tint or loud exhaust, as long as it passes inspection. Just remember their motto "9 your fine 10 your mine". Watch out for LFZ, he's a bad influence. lol
#22
Team Owner
I've got to chime in, grew up here an lived here most of my life and love it. In 3 hrs you can be at the beach or mountains . Cops here don't have a problem with tint or loud exhaust, as long as it passes inspection. Just remember their motto "9 your fine 10 your mine". Watch out for LFZ, he's a bad influence. lol
#23
Team Owner
Member Since: Dec 2010
Location: Hillsborough NC
Posts: 21,065
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NC Events Coordinator
I'm in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. We have three major universities and Research Triangle Park within a 30-mile radius. There is quite a bit of technology in the area; IBM, Quintiles, SAS, Cisco, Lenovo, Red Hat, NetApp, etc.
VIR is 45 minutes to an hour away depending on where you live. They run about 10½ months a year there. Most of the other NC info has been covered by others.
VIR is 45 minutes to an hour away depending on where you live. They run about 10½ months a year there. Most of the other NC info has been covered by others.
#24
Drifting
Thread Starter
Thank you all for your insight it goes a long way! I think my enthusiasm for moving down is actually rubbing off onto some friends so I may not even have to make this move alone still looking into some things.... How does one attempt a house purchase far away? Is it recommended to first rent and inspect houses while renting? Or is it advised to work with a realtor to find something I really like and fly in to confirm?
#25
Team Owner
Member Since: Dec 2010
Location: Hillsborough NC
Posts: 21,065
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NC Events Coordinator
Thank you all for your insight it goes a long way! I think my enthusiasm for moving down is actually rubbing off onto some friends so I may not even have to make this move alone still looking into some things.... How does one attempt a house purchase far away? Is it recommended to first rent and inspect houses while renting? Or is it advised to work with a realtor to find something I really like and fly in to confirm?
#26
Pro
I would rent for awhile and get familiar with the area. Then buy as close to work as possible, providing its In a good area, Charlotte is so spread out, there are areas that appear nice, but are really too close to the hood for my taste
#27
Instructor
Lots of good suggestions above. If you're looking to live away from it all (the sticks), AZ has that too. I moved to Phoenix back in 2015 for a new job, rented an apartment for a while to get to know the area and moved to Maricopa a little over a year ago. Less than an hour south from Sky Harbor Airport and pretty much off the beaten path. No Lowe's or Home Depot, not even a Best Buy out here. Lots of medical offices but an ambulance would take you to a neighboring city that has a hospital because we don't have one here. A new fast food joint opens up and an older one closes down because there doesn't seem to be enough of a population here to support it all. You get the picture.
On the plus side, lots of cheap new housing here and they're still building. When the internet service goes out, we all know it's because the construction people ran over the cables. Again. And again. My car insurance bill dropped when I moved here from Phoenix. Property taxes are cheap too. I moved here from SoCal so even at it's worse, the traffic here (if you need to drive up to the big city) doesn't even compare. No emissions inspections here so my turbo is a non-issue. I couldn't even drive the car when I lived in SoCal as it would never pass the visual inspection even though it passed no problem when I lived in the south.
Yes it's hot here in AZ, but even if I won the lottery tomorrow I would never move back to the Republic of Kalifornia. Ever.
On the plus side, lots of cheap new housing here and they're still building. When the internet service goes out, we all know it's because the construction people ran over the cables. Again. And again. My car insurance bill dropped when I moved here from Phoenix. Property taxes are cheap too. I moved here from SoCal so even at it's worse, the traffic here (if you need to drive up to the big city) doesn't even compare. No emissions inspections here so my turbo is a non-issue. I couldn't even drive the car when I lived in SoCal as it would never pass the visual inspection even though it passed no problem when I lived in the south.
Yes it's hot here in AZ, but even if I won the lottery tomorrow I would never move back to the Republic of Kalifornia. Ever.
#28
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2001
Location: Athens AL
Posts: 59,663
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C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Why do people dig up zombie threads? Look at the date of the post.
#29
Pro
Member Since: May 2007
Location: greenville sc
Posts: 677
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St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Greenville SC ... lots to do ... mountains in 30 minutes ... Beach Charleston - 3 hours away. ,,, great downtown ... bike trails ... quality of life ,,, taxes reasonable ... cost of living great .... traffic not too bad yet... cops OK if you don't drive like a fool. Lots of lmountain twisties available. Road Atlanta & Charlotte oval within 1.5 hours..
Atlanta traffic sucks (volume and rush hour all day basically) - must purchase Peach pass (works in NC & FL also) - same for Alpharetta
Charlotte traffic sucks (pay lanes not active yet on 77) & under construction
Raleigh Durham - traffic sucks
I 85 - under construction from Spartanburg to NC line , 85/385 intersection in Greenville sucks, from Charlotte to Salisbury expansion and always under construction in Atlanta.
I have been in this area a LONG time and have lots of experience with each city listed above. .
good luck with your quest !!
Atlanta traffic sucks (volume and rush hour all day basically) - must purchase Peach pass (works in NC & FL also) - same for Alpharetta
Charlotte traffic sucks (pay lanes not active yet on 77) & under construction
Raleigh Durham - traffic sucks
I 85 - under construction from Spartanburg to NC line , 85/385 intersection in Greenville sucks, from Charlotte to Salisbury expansion and always under construction in Atlanta.
I have been in this area a LONG time and have lots of experience with each city listed above. .
good luck with your quest !!
#33
Team Owner
Lots of good suggestions above. If you're looking to live away from it all (the sticks), AZ has that too. I moved to Phoenix back in 2015 for a new job, rented an apartment for a while to get to know the area and moved to Maricopa a little over a year ago. Less than an hour south from Sky Harbor Airport and pretty much off the beaten path. No Lowe's or Home Depot, not even a Best Buy out here. Lots of medical offices but an ambulance would take you to a neighboring city that has a hospital because we don't have one here. A new fast food joint opens up and an older one closes down because there doesn't seem to be enough of a population here to support it all. You get the picture.
On the plus side, lots of cheap new housing here and they're still building. When the internet service goes out, we all know it's because the construction people ran over the cables. Again. And again. My car insurance bill dropped when I moved here from Phoenix. Property taxes are cheap too. I moved here from SoCal so even at it's worse, the traffic here (if you need to drive up to the big city) doesn't even compare. No emissions inspections here so my turbo is a non-issue. I couldn't even drive the car when I lived in SoCal as it would never pass the visual inspection even though it passed no problem when I lived in the south.
Yes it's hot here in AZ, but even if I won the lottery tomorrow I would never move back to the Republic of Kalifornia. Ever.
On the plus side, lots of cheap new housing here and they're still building. When the internet service goes out, we all know it's because the construction people ran over the cables. Again. And again. My car insurance bill dropped when I moved here from Phoenix. Property taxes are cheap too. I moved here from SoCal so even at it's worse, the traffic here (if you need to drive up to the big city) doesn't even compare. No emissions inspections here so my turbo is a non-issue. I couldn't even drive the car when I lived in SoCal as it would never pass the visual inspection even though it passed no problem when I lived in the south.
Yes it's hot here in AZ, but even if I won the lottery tomorrow I would never move back to the Republic of Kalifornia. Ever.
#34
Racer
as a software engineer, you should move to Huntsville, Alabama. Any Engineers here make an inflated salary, due to NASA and all the missile defense contractors. The "activities/nightlife" may be limited though. I would stay away from Nashville. In my opinion its turning into a liberal tax monster with horrible traffic.
#35
Team Owner
Member Since: Feb 2009
Location: Nearby Mayberry in NC
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Crowd Plow For Now
#36
Smokin' BBQ Member
#37
Safety Car
I'm from NJ and relocated to the Raleigh NC area and love it...
1-2 hr drive from Vir, NCCAR, Rockingham, Fayettevile, Piedmont and Roxboro tracks. Same for mountains or "shore" (beach here).
Craft Beer scene is great
Good Luck....
1-2 hr drive from Vir, NCCAR, Rockingham, Fayettevile, Piedmont and Roxboro tracks. Same for mountains or "shore" (beach here).
Craft Beer scene is great
Good Luck....