Looks like I’m moving back to NC

[hepcat]

Been living in Austin for almost 13 years now. It was a great run in my 20’s especially when I was single, but it’s just getting too hot and too expensive for a place with no beach or mountains. And with kiddos I wanted to move closer to family. So I got a remote job last year with the intent to move back to NC. Had a long debate with my wife about either Asheville or Wilmington. I went to college at UNCA so I still know a lot of people there so that was my first choice. But my folks live in Wilmington, and my wife grew up on the beach and wanted to be near the coast so, Wilmington won. We put an offer on a house on Thursday and it was accepted. Great school district and half an acre lot. House needs some updating but it’s a really nice place. So here we go! Move back to NC starting soon. Terrified and excited all at the same time. 

[ladypanther]

Welcome back.

[LinvilleGorge]

I'm honestly kinda shocked by the Austin boom. The city itself is cool. Lots to offer for people looking for cool city stuff. But like you mentioned, no mountains or beach or really basically just nothing of note for hours in any direction. Like where do you go for a day trip or weekend getaway from Austin? I gotta think that you almost develop a landlocked form of island fever. There are just very limited cool quick getaways. I mean, if you're gonna pay damn near Boulder prices you might as well just go to Boulder and get the same type of vibe and have a lot more cool poo nearby.

[Brooklyn 3.0]

You might be a trendsetter, hep. I asked on another forum (and here too I think) if people think that within the next 10 years, instead of SO many people moving to the Carolinas, Texas, Florida, AZ, etc., they'll me moving to the northeast or midwest. Sure, you're going to NC ... but you're leaving that hell that is TX. The summer here in NY has been super mild so far. Last year was too. And September is right around the corner!

[LinvilleGorge]

The sunbelt is blowing up as far as people moving in. The real driver of a lot of this moving is from places with crippling cost of living to places of considerably lower cost of living. hepcat and I both fit that mold. There feels like there's a practical invasion of Long Islanders in this area currently for precisely that reason. Colorado felt under invasion by Californians for years for the same reason.

[OceanPanther]

Welcome  Home  , neighbor ..   It's a great place to watch Panther football. Beach in the morning, home by the 1 PM kickoff.. ( go to church on Saturday or online  )

[hepcat]

12 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I'm honestly kinda shocked by the Austin boom. The city itself is cool. Lots to offer for people looking for cool city stuff. But like you mentioned, no mountains or beach or really basically just nothing of note for hours in any direction. Like where do you go for a day trip or weekend getaway from Austin? I gotta think that you almost develop a landlocked form of island fever. There are just very limited cool quick getaways. I mean, if you're gonna pay damn near Boulder prices you might as well just go to Boulder and get the same type of vibe and have a lot more cool poo nearby.

It’s the hill country or going down to the golf coast is as close as it gets 

[hepcat]

20 hours ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

You might be a trendsetter, hep. I asked on another forum (and here too I think) if people think that within the next 10 years, instead of SO many people moving to the Carolinas, Texas, Florida, AZ, etc., they'll me moving to the northeast or midwest. Sure, you're going to NC ... but you're leaving that hell that is TX. The summer here in NY has been super mild so far. Last year was too. And September is right around the corner!

I have a friend who swears that Michigan is going to pop off in the next 20 years 

[Brooklyn 3.0]

1 hour ago, hepcat said:

I have a friend who swears that Michigan is going to pop off in the next 20 years 

I totally get moving out of higher priced areas ... but I just don't understand how people can stand the new heat we have on the planet. Christ, we got like less than six inches of snow last winter! So mild winters and pleasant summers sounds like the way to go. I can see Michigan, since it's near water and away from the coast. Vermont, New Hampshire, Minnesota could all be the new Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.

[LinvilleGorge]

2 hours ago, hepcat said:

I have a friend who swears that Michigan is going to pop off in the next 20 years 

Maybe, but holy poo if they weren't FLOCKING to CO in the '07-'10 range. Felt like every third person you met had just moved there from Michigan.

[hepcat]

13 hours ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

I totally get moving out of higher priced areas ... but I just don't understand how people can stand the new heat we have on the planet. Christ, we got like less than six inches of snow last winter! So mild winters and pleasant summers sounds like the way to go. I can see Michigan, since it's near water and away from the coast. Vermont, New Hampshire, Minnesota could all be the new Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.

I can see it for sure. TX is unbearable this time of year. Highs have been in the 105+ range for a month straight with no rain and no end in sight. 

[onmyown]

On 7/22/2023 at 2:45 PM, LinvilleGorge said:

The sunbelt is blowing up as far as people moving in. The real driver of a lot of this moving is from places with crippling cost of living to places of considerably lower cost of living. hepcat and I both fit that mold. There feels like there's a practical invasion of Long Islanders in this area currently for precisely that reason. Colorado felt under invasion by Californians for years for the same reason.

Yep. Count me in with you guys. In Salt Lake now but in two weeks I am moving to Savannah GA purely for the costs and being a coast city. Strong economy here and security but unless you’re specifically tech, can’t make it work here. And even that bloated field is going to crumble soon. Either way a nice home in GA will run $350k and that same house here is 750k and for what?

[hepcat]

11 hours ago, onmyown said:

Yep. Count me in with you guys. In Salt Lake now but in two weeks I am moving to Savannah GA purely for the costs and being a coast city. Strong economy here and security but unless you’re specifically tech, can’t make it work here. And even that bloated field is going to crumble soon. Either way a nice home in GA will run $350k and that same house here is 750k and for what?

Property value was a big motivator for me too. My house in Austin appraised at 700k and the house we got in Wilmington is 535k with 1000 more sq ft and a massive yard.

[onmyown]

1 hour ago, hepcat said:

Property value was a big motivator for me too. My house in Austin appraised at 700k and the house we got in Wilmington is 535k with 1000 more sq ft and a massive yard.

100%. My home was 630k here for 2000 square feet, .20 acre. I’m eyeballing a 320k house in Savannah 500 more square feet but over 1.5 acres of a well maintained wooded lot.

Wilmington came in a very close second for me. It’s a bit more pricey than Savannah (except downtown) but doable. Only reason I didn’t is Savannah is a bit closer to my vacation spots in the gulf but equal distance to Charlotte.

Still from what I’ve seen both are great areas to settle down. Austin was another choice they could’ve sent me to and I was like nahhh I’m good lol. Bring me back home where I can afford to live.

Edited July 25, 2023 by onmyown