Moving To North Carolina | Pros and Cons
Moving To North Carolina | Pros and Cons
Are you considering living in North Carolina? Known as the birthplace of aviation with the nickname of Old North State or the Tar Heel State, North Carolina is not just a historical landmark, but a vibrant state with just over 10 and a half million residents. calling it home. My family and I decided to relocate from California to this beautiful state six years ago, and we've embraced its southern hospitality, distinctive blend of urban and rural landscapes and yes, even the barbecue.
And we're not the only ones. In fact, North Carolina has added more people to our state in the last year than any other state with the exception of Texas and Florida. Today, we'll be diving into the pros and cons of living in North Carolina. Exploring the nuances of relocating here and what attracts so many to its cities and a real life look at the daily reality of living here firsthand.
Hey y'all, I'm Brandy Nemergut, a local realtor here in Raleigh, North Carolina. Let's go ahead and jump right on in and we're going to get started with the first pro and that's going to have to be the city. Southern Hospitality. The warmth and welcoming nature of the locals provide a sense of community and belonging that is hard to find anywhere else.
And while North Carolinians are very friendly, you may notice they can be a bit reserved and do like their personal space, which is hard because I'm a big hugger, but there are so many nice Carolinians here. And even though a lot of us are transplants that have moved in, I feel like North Carolinians just make others want to stay just as sweet.
Well, maybe not that sweet, but people here are pretty friendly. Not only will they open doors for you or let you go ahead of them in line or while you're driving, they won't even honk your horn if you don't go right away at a green light. They say yes ma'am and no sir, they just can't help it. And if you look at them, they'll actually smile and many will stop for a few minutes or more and talk about Everything and nothing.
It's pretty awesome. Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte were even ranked among the happiest cities in America according to wallet hub. com So if you need a little more friendliness and happiness in your life Come on down y'all and see for yourself Just how nice people really are. The next pro is the relatively low cost of living compared to other states North Carolina offers an affordable living standard without compromise quality.
The cost of living in North Carolina is 5 percent lower than the national average, while housing is 14 percent lower than the national average. Personally speaking, relocating from Southern California, the cost of living was a huge factor for us. You can go online to a cost calculator. I use best places.
net and type in where you currently live versus where you're considering relocating to. For us, the cost of living was overall 35 percent lower and housing 42 percent lower. And when it comes to taxes, Compared to some other states, North Carolina has competitive tax rates, which can benefit both individuals and businesses.
The state has a flat income tax rate of 4. 75 percent for individuals and 2. 5 percent for corporations. Sales tax in North Carolina is 4. 75 percent with additional local sales taxes that can bring the total rate up to around 7. 5 percent in some areas. Property taxes are assessed at the county level and vary depending on the location of the property.
Speaking of cost of living, another pro here is the affordable housing market. You may not be surprised to learn that affordable housing Always plays the largest role in the low cost of living in North Carolina. And it's true with medium home prices coming in at around 353, 000. Many people end up moving to North Carolina to fulfill their lifelong dream of owning a home.
The affordable housing prices coupled with reasonable property taxes make it an attainable option for many. Now it will cost you a bit more depending on location. The median house point can fluctuate another 100, 000 to 150, 000 for places like Charlotte or the Raleigh Durham Triangle area. The next pro is the combination of the state's geographical diversity that offers an exceptional outdoor experience.
From the Appalachian to the serene Atlantic coastline. Asheville is a great city and our Blue Ridge Mountains that are breathtaking in the fall. You can explore the Biltmore Estate and they actually have a North Carolina red wine that we like. Coming from California, it's been hard to find ones that we like here in the state.
And if you love to ski, Boone is a really great option. They offer some of the longest and largest slopes in the Western North Carolina. Now if you don't think you can live without your urban city life, Charlotte is a great option and the largest metropolitan city in North Carolina and the fourth largest in Southeastern U.
S. with a bustling population and a dynamic economy. We've talked about Charlotte versus Raleigh in previous videos as well. They have everything from a great food scene to professional sports teams from the Carolina Panthers to the Charlotte Hornets. This city offers a great hub for professionals and a balanced lifestyle with its considerable amenities and opportunities.
Then we have the Raleigh Durham Chapel Hill Triangle. Raleigh is the capital city known for its vibrant tech scene and educational institutions. It's a suburban mid sized city with good food and great health care. Raleigh continues to make headlines and is consistently being highlighted across the country for everything from being a top 10 best city to live, top 10 tech cities, second hottest housing market, and one of the safest in the world.
large cities in the U. S. and one of the best cities for new jobs. Durham, famous for its research and development and the Research Triangle Park, housing top tech companies. Durham offers a unique mix of historical charm and modern innovation, which make it a desirable location for professionals and academics.
Durham is really transformed in the past decade or so and invested millions of dollars in renovations to the city. And then we have Greensboro. This city is rich in history, has a vibrant culture scene. And combines affordability with a growing job market. Greensboro is ideal for those looking for a blend of urban life and accessible nature.
And while there are many areas in North Carolina that have vibrant job opportunities, other areas can fit into a con as it's a bit of a challenge in the job market. which can be quite competitive, especially in certain industries or rural areas. Another pro and a con is our public school system. Many of North Carolina's public schools are underfunded, which is a big concern for families.
Currently, our state ranks number 36 for quality compared to California, which ranks 26. Personally, we noticed a difference when we moved here. And with many eastern state schools ranking in the top 10 for quality, if you're coming from these other states, you may want to do your research on schools.
Prior to considering what area you'd like to move to if you're looking in the Raleigh triangle area or charlotte area There are some top rated counties like wake and Chatham county in the triangle area Or Mecklenburg and union county in the charlotte area and if you love the beach North Carolina has some great beach cities like Wrightsville beach Which is located near Wilmington Wrightsville beach is known for its beach Crystal clear waters and vibrant nightlife.
And it's the closest beach from Raleigh at just under two hours to drive. Then we have the Outer Banks, known for its beautiful sandy beaches and historic lighthouses. And then there's Emerald Isles. It's beautiful green waters, it's a family friendly beach destination, offering pristine beaches and plenty of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy.
We actually bought a beach house there as we instantly fell in love with the town when I took my daughter there for a girls trip. Aside from all the great cities here, from the mountains to the beaches and everywhere in between, a fun fact. Raleigh is often considered the halfway point between New York City and Miami, Florida, and is also roughly halfway between Washington, D.
C. and Atlanta, Georgia. And all the different cities and states you can travel to within a five hour drive is amazing. It's definitely like having a vacation in your backyard. Another pro that we love is all the outdoor spaces there are to enjoy. We have so many parks here. In fact, we have four national forests along with 10 national parks, 41 state parks in the state of North Carolina.
And that doesn't include all the greenway trails and parks throughout the area. Switching over to a con are the big storms. If you're from the South or Midwest, or maybe even Texas, you probably won't be used to the kind of storms that we can have. It can be a sunny, beautiful day and suddenly it gets dark, windy, and the rain just starts pouring down and when it starts thundering and lightning, it gets pretty loud booms that make everything shake.
So if you aren't used to those rapid weather shifts, then it may shock or even scare you the first time or two. In the winter we can even get a hell storm with some pretty big sized hail balls. Now after six years living here, we're used to the occasional ones that pop up and we usually get a warning of a storm brewing as our little peekaboo dolly starts shaking and hiding under the table.
And usually within an hour or so, The storm hits or a little girl. We can also get hurricanes in the summer, but generally it doesn't affect us too much here in the Raleigh area versus the coastal areas. And with hurricanes, you can get a few days up to a week's notice. So if it seems bad enough, people have time to evacuate here in the Raleigh area.
We typically get rain, wind. and some fallen trees, which can often lead to power outages. In the last six years, since we've lived here, I'd say we can lose power about three times a year. So after our first power went out, we ended up getting a generator and then we had an electrician come and put a switch in our garage so I can literally flip a switch and we have power.
Overall though, it's not a major issue. If you live in more rural areas, you could be affected the most. and see power outages anywhere from a few hours or even a few days. But in the highly populated towns, it's usually only a few hours, but in really bad storms, I've seen the power out in some areas for one to two days.
So if you want to be safe, buy a generator when you move here. I've had to use mine a couple of times, and it's definitely paid for itself. Another con, if you like to drink, it can be a bit unusual coming from another state, and that's the fact that you cannot buy hard alcohol in stores. Instead, you'll have to go to what they call an ABC store.
However, not on Sundays or a lot of holidays because they're closed. For wine and beer, you can buy those at the grocery store and some convenience stores. And a surprising fact that may be a pro or a con, depending how you feel about drinking alcohol, There are currently four dry counties in North Carolina and six counties with no ABC stores.
And there's one more caveat in our state and that's the fact that an establishment cannot sell alcohol on Sundays until 10 a. m. The state actually passed a bill called the brunch bill in 2017 which made it legal for restaurants to sell alcohol to customers on Sundays. starting at 10 a. m. Until that law was passed, North Carolina didn't permit any Sunday alcohol sales before noon.
When it comes to barbecue, some consider this a pro, while others consider it a con. And people here are very opinionated when it comes to their barbecue. There's the eastern style barbecue that uses the whole hog, minus the squeal, with lemon juice or vinegar peppered base sauce, which has zero tomatoes.
So those of us coming from the west coast, it can definitely be a culture shock for sure. We are all about our red sauce here, which in the south is considered red Lexington style barbecue. which is more of a rich sweet sauce. Yes, please. But no matter what your preference is, you're sure to find some delicious mouthwatering barbecue to enjoy.
Another con has to be the unhealthy food options here. North Carolinians love their southern comfort food and there is So much fried food here. Everything from fried chicken on every street corner. There could be three chicken places across the street from each other. To fried fish, fried okra, fried hush puppies, and don't forget the biscuits.
Okay, they're not fried, but they are cooked with uttering goodness and they are so addictive. I think I actually gained 15 pounds when we first moved here. And I still have yet to visit our local fair, but I see all the advertisements of the fried food goodness that locals are known to go and experience.
Everything from deep fried Oreos to deep fried Twinkies, deep fried candy bars, deep fried pickles, deep fried macaroni, even deep fried butter. Oh, that makes my tummy hurt. The other unhealthy daily go to here for many southerners is their sweet tea. Now growing up in California, we drink unsweet tea. So we were not prepared for this.
The very first time I ordered tea in a restaurant, took a big sip of sugar. I was like, what is this? The waitress just looked at me like I was crazy. Some places here don't even carry unsweet tea. It's sweet or nothing. It definitely tastes like a sugary sweet cup of diabetes. Another con can be the humidity.
During the summer months, it can have a tropical feel between the rain and the humidity. It is hot and sticky and can seem intense and challenging for newcomers. It took us about a good two full years to actually acclimate, but the good news here in North Carolina, we do have all four seasons, which is really nice.
And you only have to deal with a few. few hot months. The fall and spring feel most like California weather, which I absolutely love. And there are breathtaking autumn colors here, and our winters are pretty mild. So if you don't like a lot of snow, you'll have some great options here. As beautiful as the spring is here in North Carolina, it comes with the dreaded allergy season for all you newcomers.
that face seasonal allergies like my daughter and I do. The beautiful blooming flowers and trees can wreak havoc on your sinuses, which will have you reaching for your Allegra or even booking an appointment with an allergist, which I happen to have a few. I can recommend if you need one. On the brighter side, the yellow pollen blanket is only around for about three weeks.
Three weeks or so and then it seems to let up. But if you do have allergies, you may want to do your research and see how it compares to where you currently live. A subject that many people don't like talking about, including myself, is the political climate. North Carolina is considered a purple state.
But overall, North Carolina has a conservative landscape that may not align with everyone's views. However, you'll find political landscape is both liberal and conservative, and some may find certain areas to be too liberal, while others may find certain areas to be too conservative. Unlike when we lived in California, it seems like people love displaying their yard flags here that show exactly how they're feeling.
So when you visit and drive around communities, you will see them all, including local businesses with ads or signs or stickers in their windows, welcoming all personally speaking, living in the Raleigh triangle area. I feel like holistically there's a nice mix of both liberal and conservative, and there's a lot of kind, loving people who just want to live their lives.
The way they want to live their lives and coming here Just know that no matter what your political views are you can make many friends here on all sides who have a lot in common with you. Even if you don't agree on everything living in North Carolina offers a unique blend of Southern charm, natural beauty, and a continuing growing economy.
While there are a lot of advantages, it comes with its setbacks as well. As with any big life decision, weighing out the pros and cons for you and your family to see if it aligns. With the lifestyle that you want to live. It's definitely a beautiful state with a lot to offer and my family and I are happy to call it home If you found this information helpful, please click the like button below so others like you can find this information as well And if you're considering relocating to north Carolina and looking to purchase a home, we would love to help All you have to do is reach out to me My number's right here on the screen.
Whether you want to give me a call, shoot me a text, or send me an email, we would love to chat. Till next time, we'll see y'all later.
Brandy Nemergut, Realtor ~ eXp Realty Raleigh, NC
919-583-6895
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