Charlotte - 10/15/2008

Charlotte, NC provides a great variety of things to do at a very reasonable cost to living there. That along with the climate and growth make it easy to understand why so many have come to this area.

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Charlotte...Not the place for good Yankees! - 10/4/2008

I have to say...I have lived here for a few months and can't wait to leave. It is Clicky here and almost impossible to get a return call for a decent Job. I am from NY and never jugded anyone in my life and yet I am on the recieving end of consistantly being judged for looking different. I am a 6 foot 2 body builder type who never had trouble finding friends or dates in Fla or NY and here I feel like a lepper..NO joke..Nyers unless you have a signed agreement for employment think about moving here...I have had numerous "so called jobs" that change their mind about the pay scale or the agreement...and I have 20 years experience in My profession.

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City grows before infrastucture - 9/29/2008

Charlotte is attempting to grow into a destination city, but has failed to provide a proper infrastructure to allow for all the growth. The streets are years behind in repairs, while at the same time, the city put in a new light rail system. The highways need updated with lights and the widening of such, yet building a new Nascar museum has been a higher priority. City planers do what they want and dont seem to listen to the people here. IMHO...

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Economy..what Economy.. - 9/28/2008

You are lucky to find gas here..let alone a job.!

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More about Charlotte - 9/28/2008

Addendum..if you insist upon ruining your life moving here..I can give you a couple of pieces of advice: 1. Move to South Charlotte, more accessible to everything. 2. Dont move here thinking you will get a job..I dont think Bill Gates could find any decent employment here. 3. Start your own business, preferably restaurant, service oriented, wine store. (Wine is big here) 4. Rent before you buy. 5. Research neighborhoods indepth, poor urban planning places nice areas with bad crime areas. Get a car alarm. 6. Be ready for strange behavior from landscapers, job employers, and general customer service help you many need. 7. Accept the fact that you may be smarter than 70% of the population (especially if you are from the North), dont scratch your head in disbelief until you bleed..(like I did) 8. Enjoy the Mecklenburg crime station with all the people on parole and the ones who are all wanted..wandering around Charlotte.

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Please tell me about your city - 9/17/2008

My husband and I are moving from Arizona to Charlotte by March this year. Could someone please tell me a little more about your city. Where do you live and what are the pro and cons?

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Summers are HOT - HOT - HOT - 9/17/2008

It is true that, after enduring New England winters for 45 years, the winters here are relatively mild. I used to be able to wear a very light jacket during the winter, when I moved to Charlotte 15 years ago, but your blood eventually thins and you do find the winters a "little" chilly, with time. I should add that there are still many days during the winter when I can wear shorts and a T shirt during the day. Spring and fall are fantastic and, because spring comes earlier and fall lasts longer, winter seems to pass very quickly. Now, about the summer weather here, - it is HOT, no if's, and's, or but's. Summer temperatures average in the mid to high 90's with a good many days reaching the 100-105 range. If you are not used to it, and you come down here from up north and run around like you "think" you can, you "will" end up suffering from heat stroke, as happened with me. The only way to survive the summer heat is to take it slowwwww and eeeeeasy. The biggest problem with the heat is the unbearable humidity. The moment you start to do anything energetic, like yard work, you will find yourself soaking wet with sweat. I used to wonder why so many people had their yard work done by landscaping companies (they are all over the place here) and now I know. If you want to avoid the heat, you can drive to the mountains or the beach but, depending on your driving habits, it's a 3.5 to 4.5 hour drive to both. And, if you choose the beach (Myrtle Beach), you just may find it to be slightly hotter there. I will add that Charlotte traffic is terrible, because there are not enough properly designed highways to handle the number of vehicles. Property taxes are high meaning you will want to look for a home in Fort Mill or Rock Hill (both in SC) about 20 minutes south of Charlotte - I did and am very happy with my choice. Crime is something you will have to adjust to and there is plenty of it. If you are from up north, be prepared to be introduced to "sweet tea" - it's the preferred drink of the south (all year) and you should not gulp your first one down. Image a glass of iced tea, - now add about 10 tablespoons of sugar and stir until it is all disolved, - then drink it. I have never gotten used to it and I always order "unsweetened tea" which brings me a raised eyebrow look from the order taker. But, in spite of the negatives, I like the area and I definitely like the friendliness of the southern people. My only regret is that I did not come here sooner, when it was less developed and still a small southern city. It is changing very fast, with the constant influx of outsiders, and it will soon be just like any other city on the east coast. Anyway, - that's my perspective on the area, based on my experiences.

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Charlotte..10 reasons not to move here! - 9/16/2008

1. Its a "Right to Work" state in which they can fire you at will for no reason. (You can still hire a lawyer to file protected class suits for wrongful termination) 2. Not too many good jobs here, (unless you are in IT and are a young male around 30 years old). 3. No small or midsize professional companies. 4. Lousy restaurants (only the chains are here, for they are the only ones who can afford the astronomical commercial leases) 5. Bad crime in the best neighborhoods, Car jackings are common here 6. Bad drivers (fatalities here are common..everyone knows someone who has been killed on I-77) 7. Traffic, traffic and more traffic. Not enough roads or stoplights..bring a book to read at intersections during rush hour. 8. Too far to the mountains, too far from the ocean. 9. Full of people who think they have arrived. 10. Lousy schools Live here long enough and you will feel like a question mark. The slogan "I used to be disgusted, now I am just amused"..will be on the tip of your tongue. Cant wait to unload my house and return to civilization.

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transportation - 8/17/2008

For a relatively large city, the roads here are not able to keep up with te population. There is one rail line that leads from the south end of town into center city. Charlotte and its surrounding population are over 2 million people. The should have a transportation systrem that better supports that.

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Body Modification Crowd - 8/11/2008

I know Charlotte is a huge finacial center, only second to New York. I am curious about cultures, how open minded people are, what about tattoos and piercings crowd. Lots of suits downtown, uptown, etc, but artistically speaking, where does the body modification crowd usually hang out??? Are there many of them in Charlotte? Thanks!!!

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You'll love Charlotte NC! - 8/7/2008

If you are considering relocating to Charlotte NC or surrounding area, you should know that the cost of living in Charlotte NC is one of the most affordable in the country. Additionally, there are very affordable Charlotte homes in all parts of the Charlotte region. One of the more memorable comments a client made was that the variety and cost of Charlotte homes made their homebuying experience seem like "Disneyland for Adults"!

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We are happy here :) - 7/12/2008

We also relocated from New York -- back in 1998. I can't imagine going back -- for us it has been the perfect place to raise our family. We LOVE the winters and the cost of living, compared to NY. But it is true that it is not for everyone. For us, however, relocating here was one of the best decisions we have ever made.

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Happy with my Relocation - 7/11/2008

I've been wanting to move to Charlotte for several years and I'm finally here! My primary incentives were the weather and the promised hospitality of local residents. I had a sister (California), an aunt (Colorado), and another sister (Michigan) all relocate to Charlotte during the latter part of 2007. It's only been three weeks, but I'm really happy with my decision. Thank God, most days are very sunny and the beautiful blue skies are a welcome sight to this Michigan native. It's really hot every day---regardless of the degree of sunlight---and the extreme humidity is tolerable as long as one has air conditioning. Temps have consistently been in the high 80's to low 90's for the past month. In briefly interacting with people in stores, etc. most have dispositions that range from indifference to very genuine and downright friendly. I look forward to getting to know others on a more personal level. Interestingly, many people living here are not natives of Charlotte. I hear there is a quite a lot to do recreationally and socially, but that there are hidden gems throughout the area that you have to seek out. The city per se has a semi-rural look (except downtown, which is "uptown") and turned out to be smaller than I anticipated. That's actually pretty nice because travel does not take too long to most destinations. The job market is excellent and continues to boom. I've already found an excellent position!! Construction is everywhere---a sure sign of a growing economy and the suburban neighborhoods and shopping malls are phenomenal. I'm living in a 1300 square foot apartment that rents for only $900 in the University area! It includes three bedrooms, two full baths, washer/dryer connections, front and back patios, gated entrance, attached garage, tennis courts, exercise room, and car care center. AMAZING! On the down side, everyone drives way too fast, as if there's no regard for the speed limit---so stay sharp. Also there IS a lot of crime, so I'm selective as to where I go and when, but then I'd think that would be general protocol for most places these days, particularly any fast-growing urban area experiencing a population explosion. I read last year 2000 people were moving to this area each month... I wish good fortune to anyone who decides to make Charlotte their new home!

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BEAUTIFUL place to raise a family. We will never m - 7/7/2008

Ten years ago my wife and I moved to Charlotte from a western chicago suburb and we loved charlotte, and thought it was a great place to live. We recently had two kids, and felt guilty for living so far away from the grandparents so we sold our home and moved back to midwest suburbs of Chicago and have been there for about a year now. WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE!! Ten years of southern hospitality had erased our memories of how unfriendly and rude the folks in northern Illinois are. Once you have experienced the friendly southern people in Charlotte and the surrounding areas, it is very hard to go back up north. Also, once you are used to lots of southern sunshine, it is really hard on your psyche to experience the endless cold gray days that the LONG midwestern winters dish out. So we asked ourselves, do we want our kids to grow in northern Illinois where rude stand-offish aggressive people are the norm and not the exception to the rule? Do we want our kids to be locked up indoors for six months of brutal winters? Do we want them to live in a place where only the rich kids get access to great public schools? Do we want our family to live cramped together in a tiny little house because that's all we can afford with the high home prices and property taxes up north? Do we sacrifice our kids quality of life so that they can live closer to relatives? NO! Our kids come first! Just like our grandparents before us who moved to America for a better life...we will do the same by moving south. If you are OK with the old school midwestern rustbelt cities overtaxing you and your family and giving you little in return...then by all means assume the role of victim and stay where you are at. But if you believe your role as a parent is to seek out the best life for your children that you can afford...then head south. If your relatives care about what's best for your kids they will support your decision....ours did :) We just purchased a new house in Charlotte and are moving back this July. Thank God! In summary, Charlotte is affordable, VERY family friendly, the people are unbelievably friendly and polite, and the surrounding nature... mountains and ocean are breathtaking. And hey, you can still swim in the ocean...not the case with Lake Michigan, it's too polluted.

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Think Twice! - 7/1/2008

I came here from Long Island NY and bought a beautiful large new home in cash..I felt great..at least for a while..now I am ready to sell the house and move back to NY...heres why.. 1. Charlotte has no culture or personality to speak of. 2. Crime is off the charts 3. It is too hot in the summer 4. Jobs are scarce..and the great industries here are drying up...merging banks etc. 5. Scarcity of regional beauty and nature. 6. Too far to ocean 7. Roads are bad, no traffic lights, bad traffic 8. No workable reasons why some housing is going up here and some is not 9. Confederates are alive and well 10. Lousy paying jobs..and right to work state..really means fire at will. 11. Charlotte is the first city to want to know how many times you fart before they hire you for a job..yet they cant keep enough cops and DAs to put the criminals away. 12. Too much unneccessary building at this point...no one is filling the retail space..and the landlords are charging too much for retail rent..therefore alot of businesses are going out...not good for the neighborhoods...poor urban planning. 13. Too many transients..everyone thinks its the promised land..alot of poor and lousy neighborhoods. 14. Bad schools I cant wait to go back to NY...even my tenants who have come from much less high profile cities are not happy here...dont let the low housing prices entice you here without alot of research, job transfers..dont buy too quickly!

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Easy does it - 6/25/2008

I recently relocated from Dallas, TX to Charlotte, NC. I've lived in several other major cities on both coasts, and Charlotte is definitely the easiest transition to make if you're a southerner. There's sweet tea, friendly people, great nightlife--and it's affordable.

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Culture in Charlotte - 6/19/2008

I have lived in Charlotte for 14 years. The city is pleasant enough: people are friendly, some good shopping and restaurants, downtown getting more lively, and a very good library system. I also think the schools are underrated- there are some (not all) good schools in the public system. I am particularly pleased with the language immersion program. However, for a city that has grown to this size, Charlotte still has a level of culture associated with a much smaller town. The art museum is miniscule and there is very little contemporary art. There is no Natural History Museum nor Children's museum. There is no zoo. There are not as many parks as there should be. The symphony struggles for money - the director from Germany just quit and was quoted as saying that a city as wealthy as Charlotte should be able to better support an orchestra. The general population is just not very concerned about culture as is probably typical of a financially oriented city where the emphasis is on making money. I came from Pittsburgh which is totally opposite - there you have a shrinking and economically far less vibrant city, but with culture befitting of the larger city it once was: famous symphony, museums in Science, Natural History, Art, Contemporary art, Childrens, and much larger parks.

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Thinking About Moving - 6/13/2008

I'm thinking about moving to North Carolina with my 12 year old son. Looking for some where safe to live. I currently live in Yonkers, New York. I notice when looking at apartments in Charlotte, the area was rated in numbers (1,2,3..)

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Working In Charlotte - 5/6/2008

Charlotte has lots of employment opportunities. Lots of banking and a diversity of other industries. It's growing all the time.

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lots of transplants - 4/25/2008

Easy to make friends here. Almost half the population of the city is from somewhere else.

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