Raleigh is not what it protects itself as
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6/15/2016
I've moved a lot and have lived in some really great places. I have to say that Raleigh has been the most disappointing moves. I could list a million things that make my decision to move easier, but it's not productive. For starters,there's no urban planning or zoning laws. I've never seen so many horrible neighborhoods go up around this town. The trees are all cut down and then the houses go up. They all look the same. It's an empty and lonely feelings to drive by these neighborhoods. No personality, no soul, no nature...just houses. Urban sprawl in this area is awful. Inside the beltline is beautiful. I would consider living there, but even then I'm not sure.
Raleigh is a town, not a city. It still has a town mentality. So it's a weird combination, tons of growth, tons of transplants and a town mentality. It doesn't fit. They could do so much with the downtown area and if they were smart about it would look at Durham and other southern towns as a reference. Raleigh is one of the most unsophisticated places. Everything is backward, the customer service is a joke and blah blah blah. Maybe for me it also has to do with being single. It's been a tough place to make friends and to get connected. This is the first place I've ever lived where I didn't have close friends.
So I really can't say for anyone else what they think of this place. There are some great things about the area; UNC, Duke, Chapel Hill, Durham but in general there's nothing happening of distinct interest. I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed that the jobs are paying what I made 15 years ago. It's really a pitiful state. Maybe it's like this everywhere. Don't really know.
nancy | Raleigh, NC