Just a little vent/rant/question. Moved to Roanoke VA a little over a year ago for wifes job. I found a job in a different industry up here, and we are both pretty successful in what we are doing. Good jobs, 5ac farm, yadda yadda.

I just cant get over how bad I hate VA and miss NC. There is nothing wrong with VA or Roanoke, its just not "home". Everytime I go back to NC to visit family I am all

Wife and I agreed that this is not the area for us, and we plan on moving back to NC mid year next year after the baby is born (Dec), we get a few more things paid off, and we get some more things done to our house. All of our family is in Raleigh, but Asheville is much prettier, nicer weather, better beer and employment for both of us. Raleigh has family, better employment for me (potential part ownership of fathers custom home business), closer to beach, but hotter weather and more traffic.

So tww, Raleigh or Asheville?

7/9/2015 4:48:09 PM

I don't really miss NC (aside from maybe cheaper rent and housing). Colorado is awesome.

Try somewhere other than VA?

7/9/2015 5:00:01 PM

I like being in the middle. Asheville gets small town pretty quickly according to my friends from there / that live up there. The beer scene in Raleigh is exploding so I wouldn't worry about that. We also have a much more diverse economy and job situation. Weather in Raleigh only sucks in June/July up til mid August or so. The Spring and Fall are great and the winter is really moderate compared to Asheville. Also, if you're looking to buy real estate, Raleigh is great for buying right now.

You can always vacation in Asheville / the beach.

7/9/2015 5:00:57 PM

Raleigh.

You can both find jobs in Raleigh. You will not regret being closer to your families once you have a child. Aunts/Uncles/Grandparents make the best baby sitters.

If you miss "home" then you miss the home you are used to. How long did you live in Asheville? How long has she lived in Asheville? Or are you both from the Raleigh area, and that's "home" to you?

[Edited on July 9, 2015 at 5:16 PM. Reason : ]

7/9/2015 5:15:20 PM

She lived in Asheville for a year, I never lived there. Both of us are from raleigh.

My job opportunities are better in Raleigh, hers are better in Asheville.

Def want to be around family for when the kid comes.

7/9/2015 6:44:46 PM

move to the coast, dude

7/9/2015 7:40:00 PM

Raleigh actually has more micro breweries now.

7/9/2015 7:59:53 PM

Quote :

"Try somewhere other than VA?"

This, I moved to Richmond and hated my life. Moved back to NC and now I wish I'd of left the east coast.

7/9/2015 8:30:16 PM

I don't think I could live in NC again, unless it was right on the beach. Alas, no jobs though.

7/9/2015 8:50:23 PM

Living on the beach sounds cool but the truth is for about 3 months out of the year you're invaded by tourists , 3 to 4 months there's a nice blend of good weather and tolerable crowds, and 5 to 6 months it gets rather cold and lonely. There's definitely a market for that but it ain't for everybody.

7/9/2015 10:15:45 PM

Asheville is awesome. Better beer and food. Good music venues (I don't like big venues) and better outdoor activities. Asheville all the way. Probably the only place I'd consider moving if I left Charleston (besides Belize).

7/9/2015 10:53:49 PM

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"The Spring and Fall are great "

Lies. We had no spring this year.

Quote :

"and 5 to 6 months it gets rather cold and lonely"

Rather cold? It ain't nearly as cold as the other two options...plus you're not mentioning the biggest pro year-round: the salt life water!

7/10/2015 1:54:38 AM

When is the last time you were in Raleigh? Our beer game has stepped is up tremendously the last 2-3 years. Not on par with Asheville yet but the gap has closed significantly.

7/10/2015 8:15:08 AM

Why not Winston-Salem (or somewhere else in the Triad)? Only about 1.5 hours from Raleigh, 2 hrs from Asheville. The beach also isn't that far, especially if you're heading towards the SE-NC coast or MB. This city is definitely on the upswing, as the downtown area has done a total 180 in the past 10 years and lots of new apartments and office buildings will be coming online in the near future. A few breweries (Foothills, Small Batch, Hoots), some great restaurants, A LOT LESS traffic than either of those cities---seriously, "rush hour" here is very manageable. Plenty of open areas/land not too far from downtown as well if you're looking for something comparable to the 5ac you have now. Plus, being a certain distance from family can also be a blessing in that family won't randomly drop by frequently.

7/10/2015 8:18:12 AM

I have to give a shout out to Virginia Beach, my home for 7 years. It's a lot like Raleigh with 450,000 residents, but with the beaches and military. The job market is strong here. People are less educated here, so less competition than Raleigh. The weather is fantastic except when it gets a little humid. Winters aren't bad.

We have lots of festivals, great parks and schools.

We are part of a metro area with many large populations within a 45 minute drive. Nearby cities within 45 minutes drive with over 150,000 residents each: Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News. Smaller City Portsmouth is nearby. The Outer Banks and Williamsburg aren't far away.

People aren't friendly here (military).

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 8:47 AM. Reason : the more you know]

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 8:48 AM. Reason : a]

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 8:49 AM. Reason : b]

7/10/2015 8:43:32 AM

I know Raleigh's beer game is stepping up, but it will never touch Asheville. You can literally walk to five breweries in the span of 3 blocks...one being a complete sour lab. Its ridiculous.

That's also what I like about towns like Asheville and Charleston. Lots of places in more walkable areas. I know Raleigh has its areas, but a ton of shit is still spread out. Save your money and find a spot within walking/biking distance of downtown Asheville and settle in.

7/10/2015 10:13:13 AM

Quote :

"Save your money and find a spot within walking/biking distance of downtown Asheville and settle in."

LOL, good luck with that

7/10/2015 10:18:49 AM

Haven't heard anyone mention anywhere outside the southeast. Once I got out I'm not moving back. That humidity.

7/10/2015 10:58:49 AM

hey, at least you live in roanoke. i like 45 minutes from roanoke, in the middle of nowhere.

i will never understand why people in VA love cover bands so goddamn much.

7/10/2015 11:07:01 AM

^^ Pay attention:

Quote :

"Def want to be around family for when the kid comes. "

And..

Quote :

"LOL, good luck with that"

How expensive is it to live in the downtown Asheville area? I'm not talking right off the main drag, but within 1/4 or 1/2 mile? I don't live on the battery, but I live within walking distance to most everything in downtown Charleston...and I'm not a millionaire. Just saying...it probably can be done. Sounds like the poster and the wifey have pretty decent jobs. Who knows?

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 11:09 AM. Reason : .]

7/10/2015 11:07:27 AM

^^^^^ I'm in va beach right now at a show, and come here often for work. I like it but not for me. I grew up in Wrightsville so if I go for beach it will be that.

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 11:09 AM. Reason : .]

7/10/2015 11:08:40 AM

^^ We can afford to live about anywhere but we need at least 5ac for the horse and donkeys so land price and availability will limit where we can live in Raleigh or Asheville.

7/10/2015 11:10:58 AM

Quote :

"How expensive is it to live in the downtown Asheville area? I'm not talking right off the main drag, but within 1/4 or 1/2 mile?"

I, personally, have never tried to search for housing in the surrounding area, but my gf (who went to UNCA) and literally everyone around our ages that we know that live/have lived in the area tend to live out from town just because of how expensive it is. I suppose the same comments could be applied to Charleston, so perhaps finding housing is sort of a luck of the draw, where you may have to settle for a fixer upper or property in/near an undesirable area.

[Edited on July 10, 2015 at 11:17 AM. Reason : ]

7/10/2015 11:14:41 AM

Brandon1, I know what you mean. I grew up going to the following beaches: Holden, Yaupon, Emerald Isle and Pine Knoll Shores. I was down at Oak Island, NC last weekend and enjoyed the vibe there. It's super commercialized here. It takes some getting used to in Virginia Beach. Raleigh continues to Sprawl out of control. Asheville is too isolated for employment for my tastes.

7/10/2015 11:16:54 AM

Quote :

"need at least 5ac for the horse and donkeys"

Well that limits it quite a bit.

7/10/2015 11:18:06 AM

Quote :

"We can afford to live about anywhere but we need at least 5ac for the horse and donkeys so land price and availability will limit where we can live in Raleigh or Asheville. "

Well that changes a lot!

Honestly...I'd just start job-searching both areas and see what comes up best for you two financially (best jobs combined with best place you can afford). Again...I would definitely prefer Asheville, but my sister lives in Raleigh and I still love the place. So I don't think you can go wrong.

7/10/2015 11:19:55 AM

Quote :

"Lies. We had no spring this year."

I was talking about that one week in May. It was great.

7/10/2015 11:29:48 AM

Fucking horse and donkeys lol.

7/10/2015 11:37:09 AM

is there a glue factory in either Raleigh or Ashville?

7/10/2015 12:11:36 PM

If you're looking for 5ac you're going to be looking at towns surrounding either city, and likely not the city itself. If that's the case you're probably better off in the Raleigh area, since even the surrounding towns are up-and-coming to one degree or another.

7/10/2015 12:54:43 PM

Well yeah I know I'll be looking in surrounding areas, I'm just saying ral or ash to keep it simple.

7/10/2015 1:41:40 PM

Do you like to dress semi-normal or semi-homeless? Biggest difference. I just went to San Fran and they don't do hobo chic quite like those crazy Ashevillians.

7/10/2015 3:49:30 PM

I have friends that moved to Asheville and they love it, they grew up in Raleigh too. It is not that far to SC beaches from the NC mountains too.

If I moved just because I wanted to I would head toward Wilmington Area, preferably move to Carolina Beach. Other than that I could never picture myself voluntarily leaving Raleigh.

7/12/2015 1:10:34 AM

I grew up in Raleigh but I now live in Greenville SC. I visit Asheville quite frequently because of all the great beers, music and hiking. Plus its only a 45 min drive. I don't know if I could live there though. Just from visiting often, I can see how it can become a pretty small town like someone said.

7/14/2015 1:07:04 PM

I really feel like Ashville and Roanoke have a very similar vibe.. one just has less hippies and music.

LOL @ winston... that's almost like "Fayetteville is halfway between Raleigh and Wilmington go there"

I live in clayton on 2 acres and am 30 min from downtown raleigh... i dig it.

7/15/2015 7:12:00 AM

^Makes fun of Winston, lives in Clayton

Winston-Salem >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fayetteville

[Edited on July 15, 2015 at 8:40 AM. Reason : ]

7/15/2015 8:36:46 AM

yeah winston is a decent town. i would probably compare roanoke more to winston than to asheville.

but hell, the music scene in winston is still 10x better than roanoke.

7/15/2015 10:48:06 AM

yeah i should preface my winston experience was back when you didn't really want to be there... or durham...

right around 2000

7/15/2015 10:53:33 AM

Trust me, I had that same view, though my experience was in the early 90s. Came for an interview for the job I have now & I certainly had my doubts---but it's 1000x better than what I remembered.

A 4th brewery is coming to town (Wise Man, http://triad-city-beat.com/winston-wins-wise-man-brewing-announces-location/), and a brew pub may fill in a spot at the new cycling center in downtown. City Beverage & Stella are both top notch bottle/growler shops. Several apartments coming online (one of them is the newly renovated old courthouse) and housing is still pretty cheap. You can find so many fixer uppers for cheap very close to downtown & ones that need little to no work are still pretty reasonably priced. The closing of Business 40 is gonna suck in a year or two, but traffic should flow much more smoothly through that area once completed (plus, additional money is being spent on walking/biking paths & bridges all along that stretch http://triad-city-beat.com/proposed-bike-path-would-parallel-business-40-through-downtown/)

7/15/2015 11:10:46 AM

i live in raleigh and want to retire in western NC or East TN. Mostly due to good motorcycle roads though so may not apply

7/15/2015 12:03:07 PM

I'm tired of where I am in eastern NC

oh nvm, I see that you have a wife

was going to see if you wanted to rent a place in Asheville with me for a year or something LOL

fffff

I kinda prefer Raleigh a bit, but I have a few friends in A-ville that I like more, and it'd be fun to live up that way for a few years

7/15/2015 4:45:37 PM

Seems like you'd be better somewhere out west where the is legal.

7/15/2015 4:49:00 PM

shiiiit you're right

I don't wanna just go out there alone though

7/15/2015 7:11:20 PM

I'm def leaning more towards Raleigh. My father has taken his custom home company to Wrightsville, so he's offered to have me run the Raleigh side of things. Its a big risk, and one that my wife and I are considering.

Also, with a baby on the way it'd be nice to be around family.

Fuck the real estate market though. Fuck the home prices anywhere near Raleigh or the surrounding counties. Even rental shit is high as fuck right now for a 2-3 bedroom house.

7/16/2015 9:55:41 PM

How cheap is richmond that everything in the triangle is considered too much? I assume thats what you mean by "fuck the home prices anywhere near raleigh". I would think any cost of living increase would more than offset by increased wages.

7/16/2015 10:34:32 PM

Roanoke, not Richmond.

Prices here are pretty cheap, and wages are pretty good (for us at least). We paid just under $200K for our house, pond and 5 acres with horse barn. To get that within 30-45min of Raleigh would cost double that easily.

7/18/2015 6:35:58 PM

There's always Wilson or Greenville then

[Edited on July 20, 2015 at 10:13 AM. Reason : s]

7/20/2015 10:10:42 AM

KMN if I had to move to Wilson or Greenville.

7/20/2015 10:27:44 AM

Quote :

"Fuck the real estate market though. Fuck the home prices anywhere near Raleigh or the surrounding counties. Even rental shit is high as fuck right now for a 2-3 bedroom house."

Wendell or White Oak in Garner are the big frontiers for development around Raleigh right now. You could see some nice appreciation moving there. If you want to live North or West Raleigh, Cary, Apex, HS, you are gonna pay for it right now. The market is tight and well priced homes sell in just a few days.

7/20/2015 10:55:59 AM

You guys have it easy. Houses in Denver sell in less than 24 hours and they laugh at you if you have less than 15-20% down. You inquire about a house and there are already 100% cash offers on the table. Almost makes me want to move back to Charlotte or Raleigh.

--in the market for a ~$400k 2 bedroom 1200 sqft house with a tiny yard not even near downtown Denver.

[Edited on July 20, 2015 at 11:03 AM. Reason : s]

7/20/2015 11:00:29 AM