Diaper Swappers

hillybean · 06-29-2008, 10:07 AM

DH and I may move to NC and I know nothing about it!

Please, give me the good, the bad and the ugly! We are looking at the Charlotte area, or there abouts.

I'm mostly interested in the weather, things to do, scenery, any gross bugs/snakes

What neighborhoods are the best, etc...

Anything you can think of would help me out. Thanks mamas!!

ClothDiaperingMama · 06-29-2008, 01:20 PM

Hi Mama! I am new to NC too! Unfortunately, I am about 2 hours away from you. We are around the Triangle Area. I love it here, but I grew up in TN so I am use to the weather and the people. I think the South is very friendly and I LOVE living here. We moved here after living in Seattle.. I HATED it there.

I am glad to be home. That is what NC feels like to us.. HOME. I hope you find a town that makes you feel that way too!

Charlotte {McMamma} lives in Charlotte, so maybe she can give you some pointers, etc.

The weather is hot and humid sometimes. I love it though! {Coming from a DARK, RAINY, GLOOMY place though... I could just be biased}.

The people are friendly and the cost of living is a lot lower than some other places. I don't know about Charlotte, NC.. but here there are a TON of houses to choose from both in buying and renting!

{The house we have now is LOWER a month than the 3bd tiny apartment we were renting in WA}

Plus we have a garage and HUGE backyard!

Most of the houses here have backyards and that was very important to me. I am sure Charlotte is the same.

The "bad" is that if you don't do vaxes.. you will need a religious or medical exemption ONLY. There is no 'just because I don't want too". In WA, we just had to say 'no thanks' and that was fine. DS has severe food allergies and one is to eggs so he will get a medical exemption. {atleast for those vaxes that have egg bases to them}.

I love that there will be all four seasons again! I love Spring & Fall so I am getting pretty excited! I am not sure about the schools here, but Duke University is here so it can't be all bad right?

Good luck!

sillymama · 06-29-2008, 01:47 PM

I've grown up in NC, mostly in the Raleigh area, but I love it. We now live in eastern NC. One of the great parts of NC is that you are close to the mountains and close to the beach; although you will be closer to the mountains in Charlotte. Plus it isn't that far to the DC area or down to Myrtle Beach, SC.

I kind of laughed at the four season, because we have hot summers and mild winters, and spring is usually about a week or two long. Charlotte gets a bit cooler in the winter than it does in these parts, but pretty much you might see snowflakes once a year, and it will shut everything down.

There are excellent medical facilities in NC too. I will say, depending on where you are coming from, you may have worse allergies because there are a lot of trees in the western part of the state. I don't have specifics about the Charlotte area, but I believe it is a pretty diverse area as far as culture goes.

hillybean · 06-29-2008, 03:21 PM

Excellent! I'm so far loving what I'm hearing!

Originally, I'm from Alaska, and I'm now living in Arizona...one extreme to the next! I look forward to moving to a place that's not too hot, or too cold. I'm also liking the idea that NC has mountains, country, beaches, etc...

We may not be right in Charlotte, but we would have to be close since my hubby's job is based there. What are some nice nearby towns?

megpie · 07-03-2008, 10:41 AM

we have lived in eastern nc for a year tomorrow! i like it just fine! it's a lot like home (oklahoma) for me. there are pretty nice people, and the weather isn't so bad! it's really nice to be so close to the beach, too! we don't go much because the twins are only 4 months old, but by the time dh comes home in september, they'll be old enough, and i'm going to drag him there! anyway, i have friends that moved here from charlotte, and they LOVED charlotte. i've never been there before, but it has the one thing that this area is lacking: good shopping! there is nowhere to go around here to shop, but that's probably for the best!

good luck in your adventure!

sabrina_the_mommies · 07-03-2008, 10:48 AM

We're in Elizabeth City, near the Virginia border. We've been here for a few weeks & LOVE IT! The food is cheaper (restuarant wise) then Virginia & California. I shop at the Commissary in VA for groceries, so not much help there. We just bought new construction near the Coast Guard base and are loving our neighbors/hood.

zoies mom · 07-09-2008, 10:02 AM

Hey Mama!
We live just south of Charlotte, in Union County. ( Waxhaw to be precise!) I'm originally from NY and love it here. Weather is reasonable, lots of weird bugs, but nothing that'll kill ya

, reasonable taxes, good schools... I'd look into Union County. Towns like Waxhaw, Indian Trail have family freindly, realisticly priced homes, if you are looking for a little bigger house or fancier address, try Marvin or Weddington.
Check out www.waxhaw.com for some links, as well as www.discoverwaxhaw.com .
I own a salon in Waxhaw, and I think we have a link on those 2 sites. (FUZION Hair Design) Lake Norman is pricy, lots of traffic, Steele Creek is a growing area, but still has a little too much crime, and "not niceness" IMO, University area more for singles/ college kids. Fort Mill SC, and that area is close to 485 (the major road to everywhere, loops around Charlotte), has good schools, low taxes, a very growing area, but taxes are growing too.
Umm, that's all for now, but feel free to PM me if you'd like any more info!
Good Luck, and let me know when you get here, maybe we can grab a coffeee or something!

Jody

NCMommy119 · 07-10-2008, 10:45 PM

I love it here overall. I live up next to the Va line. It's a nice small town. I don't like the Charlotte area quite as much as I'm not keen on the traffic, but if you're used to it I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem.

Hope your move goes smoothly and best wishes to your family!!

Spud'sMom · 07-10-2008, 10:54 PM

My family owns a lake house in Mooresville on Lake Norman. I don't know much about the surrounding areas, but where the house is located the traffic is horrendous. Davidson is nearby and is a lovely little college town and the cost of living is much more manageable. Charlotte itself is a wonderful city that is quickly becoming a chic, metropolitan area. The malls are fabulous!

Full-time we live just outside of Winston-Salem, about an hour and a half from Charlotte, and the area is less populous and much cheaper. It's a different city, though, but evolving as well. HTH - let me know if you have any other questions.

debmom2boyz · 07-15-2008, 06:49 PM

I'm moving to Raleigh in 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! Excited and nervous! Don't know much about it myself!!!!!!

06-29-2008, 10:07 AM	#1
hillybean Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 801 Ratings: 1 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	NC mamas I need your help! DH and I may move to NC and I know nothing about it! Please, give me the good, the bad and the ugly! We are looking at the Charlotte area, or there abouts. I'm mostly interested in the weather, things to do, scenery, any gross bugs/snakes What neighborhoods are the best, etc... Anything you can think of would help me out. Thanks mamas!! __________________ Hi! I'm Hillary, mama to two beautiful girlies, Avery Lauren 2/15/08, and Carleigh Louise 8/16/10, and wifey to Trav the eternal romantic "There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going" ~Willy Wonka

06-29-2008, 01:20 PM	#2
ClothDiaperingMama Registered Users Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 8,632 Ratings: 148 Feedback: 100%	Re: NC mamas I need your help! Hi Mama! I am new to NC too! Unfortunately, I am about 2 hours away from you. We are around the Triangle Area. I love it here, but I grew up in TN so I am use to the weather and the people. I think the South is very friendly and I LOVE living here. We moved here after living in Seattle.. I HATED it there. I am glad to be home. That is what NC feels like to us.. HOME. I hope you find a town that makes you feel that way too! Charlotte {McMamma} lives in Charlotte, so maybe she can give you some pointers, etc. The weather is hot and humid sometimes. I love it though! {Coming from a DARK, RAINY, GLOOMY place though... I could just be biased}. The people are friendly and the cost of living is a lot lower than some other places. I don't know about Charlotte, NC.. but here there are a TON of houses to choose from both in buying and renting! {The house we have now is LOWER a month than the 3bd tiny apartment we were renting in WA} Plus we have a garage and HUGE backyard! Most of the houses here have backyards and that was very important to me. I am sure Charlotte is the same. The "bad" is that if you don't do vaxes.. you will need a religious or medical exemption ONLY. There is no 'just because I don't want too". In WA, we just had to say 'no thanks' and that was fine. DS has severe food allergies and one is to eggs so he will get a medical exemption. {atleast for those vaxes that have egg bases to them}. I love that there will be all four seasons again! I love Spring & Fall so I am getting pretty excited! I am not sure about the schools here, but Duke University is here so it can't be all bad right? Good luck! __________________ Kaydee- Mama to: G{20},G{16]B{6},B{4}and Born-sleeping, AngelBaby,who is in our hearts forever! Abigail Neveah{Feb 23, 2007}

06-29-2008, 01:47 PM	#3
sillymama Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 2,893 Ratings: 104 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: NC mamas I need your help! I've grown up in NC, mostly in the Raleigh area, but I love it. We now live in eastern NC. One of the great parts of NC is that you are close to the mountains and close to the beach; although you will be closer to the mountains in Charlotte. Plus it isn't that far to the DC area or down to Myrtle Beach, SC. I kind of laughed at the four season, because we have hot summers and mild winters, and spring is usually about a week or two long. Charlotte gets a bit cooler in the winter than it does in these parts, but pretty much you might see snowflakes once a year, and it will shut everything down. There are excellent medical facilities in NC too. I will say, depending on where you are coming from, you may have worse allergies because there are a lot of trees in the western part of the state. I don't have specifics about the Charlotte area, but I believe it is a pretty diverse area as far as culture goes. __________________ Elizabeth Loving wife to Erik - the man who drives me wild and drives me crazy . Mother to Amelia (12.06), Charlotte (11.08), and Clark (3.11), with #4 arriving in June!

06-29-2008, 03:21 PM	#4
hillybean Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 801 Ratings: 1 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: NC mamas I need your help! Excellent! I'm so far loving what I'm hearing! Originally, I'm from Alaska, and I'm now living in Arizona...one extreme to the next! I look forward to moving to a place that's not too hot, or too cold. I'm also liking the idea that NC has mountains, country, beaches, etc... We may not be right in Charlotte, but we would have to be close since my hubby's job is based there. What are some nice nearby towns? __________________ Hi! I'm Hillary, mama to two beautiful girlies, Avery Lauren 2/15/08, and Carleigh Louise 8/16/10, and wifey to Trav the eternal romantic "There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going" ~Willy Wonka

07-03-2008, 10:41 AM	#5
megpie Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: MCAS Cherry Point Posts: 356 Ratings: 39 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: NC mamas I need your help! we have lived in eastern nc for a year tomorrow! i like it just fine! it's a lot like home (oklahoma) for me. there are pretty nice people, and the weather isn't so bad! it's really nice to be so close to the beach, too! we don't go much because the twins are only 4 months old, but by the time dh comes home in september, they'll be old enough, and i'm going to drag him there! anyway, i have friends that moved here from charlotte, and they LOVED charlotte. i've never been there before, but it has the one thing that this area is lacking: good shopping! there is nowhere to go around here to shop, but that's probably for the best! good luck in your adventure!