Suggestions for place to live in NC.

[13F3OL7]

I'll be moving my family down to NC later on this year and was wondering if anyone could give some suggestions on a good area to live. If possible I want to completely avoid having my family living in Fayetteville. I hate the town with a burning passion. I had been thinking about Fuquay Varina. It would be a bit of a drive to get to Bragg, but I think the benefits would outweigh any negatives. For one, it's close to Raleigh and would have better job opportunities for my wife. For a while she has been wanting to pursue a job where she would be able to use her college degree. I believe it's in finance. It's also in the Wake county school district, which was third in the nation on Forbe's list a few years ago. The biggest thing for me though, is to not have my family in or around Fayetteville.

[citizensoldier16]

Having lived in Wake County for about 15 years, I can tell you it's a wonderful place to be. I grew up in Apex...not far from Fuquay Varina as you mentioned. The Apex schools are top-notch in my opinion. I attended Apex schools from 2nd grade all the way through high school. You're close enough to Raleigh and all the jobs there, but far away enough to not be in the metropolis.

I currently live in Wilmington. I have to say, its a wonderful town as well. However, if I had my druthers, I'd live in Pender or Brunswick County and commute. Land is far cheaper in those counties.

Being a native North Carolinian...if I had to give you my top areas to live in the state they would be as follows:

1) Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area (including Apex and Cary)
2) Wilmington and surrounding counties
3) Charlotte metropolitan area (Concord Mills, Charlotte, Rock Hill)

[Sensei]

I'm in Charlotte and love it. Great place for people with finance degrees (BOA, Lowes, Wells Fargo, US Air all have HQ or regional hubs).

[The_War_Wagon]

Rowan County!

You're close to Barbeque, Cheerwine, NASCAR, Charlotte, Winston, AND... NOT stuck in the big cities! :D

Plus, I grew up there. ;)

[Eurodriver]

Jacksonville is a great town.

[subzero]

My best friend just got stationed at Bragg. We looked around for houses and decided the best spot still relatively near the base was in the Southern Pines area on the northwest side of the base. It's about an hour south of Fuquay-Varina, lots of money in the area (read: nice neighborhoods) but still plenty of good housing deals. I don't know if I've ever seen so many golf courses so close together.

I wish I could find work down there, because I'd move to NC in a heartbeat. I like it a little more every time I visit.

[chuckman]

I live in Durham, part of the Triangle of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel-Hill. I have a love-hate relationship with this place...many transplants, the traffic, the politics. I love the weather, the universities, the sports, 2 1/2 hours from the coast or mountains. There's work to be had, they are still building housing live people are going to buy it. If I didn't live here, I would live near the coast (I was born in Morehead City, raised at Camp Lejeune).

Before you get all excited about Wake Co schools, though, I'd study up a bit...they have had some tumultuous issues these last several months. We homeschool, though, so I don't have a dog in the hunt.

Just south of Raleigh and Durham area is popular...Fuquay Varina, Apex, etc. I have several co-workers that live in those areas whose spouses commute to Bragg. The best of both worlds...nice communities but close enough to major shopping/sports, etc.

Be aware that the Triangle ain't representative of the south, and if you are generally conservative the politics will drive you nutty, but you take the bad with the good, and it is mostly good. I moved away for college and was away with Uncle Sam but I keep coming back.

Of the other areas listed, I can't comment on Charlotte though in my few travels there, there is a crap-load to do. I do take umbrage with my esteemed citizen from Rown County and his perspective of western NC barbecue...eastern NC 'cue is where it's at! :)

[13F3OL7]

Believe me, I'm not enamored of any school system. I would much rather keep the boys in a private school as they are now, but that didn't go over too well with HH6. My interest in Fuquay was mainly to get away from the human cesspool that is Fayetteville. There are not enough words to describe the depth and breadth of the hatred and loathing I have for this place.

As far as politics go. They drive me insane no matter where or what the blowhole, who is speaking, is espousing to get his fat butt into office.

[chuckman]

I hear you re: schools. Again, we homeschool so I have only so much to say about the local schools. There are some nice, very nice, private schools, but come with a very nice price as well.

One of my co-workers husband is stationed at Pope, she lives in Fuquay and makes the drive to Duke, he makes the drive to Pope. Another co-worker lives in Apex, his neighbor works at Bragg. A bit of a drive, but it seems they make it work, and those towns, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, etc., still can have a community, small-town feel. One of my co-workers works part time at Cape Fear in the ER and has nothing nice to say about Cape Fear or Fayetteville.

Central NC is weird, a lot of transplants and cross-pollination, so it isn't really representative of the south in general or the rest of NC. But drive 45 minutes in any direction, you're there...Klan rallies included (ask me how I know...., and no, I am not in the Klan).

I got your PM so I will forward some info.

[wahoo95]

Take a hard look at the Charlotte area.....not in Charlotte/Mecklenburg, but the surrounding areas. Cabarrus County, Union County, and Rock Hill SC are great places to be. Great schools and you avoid much of the metro city issues Char/Neck faces.