Moving to NC (And Have No Idea What I'm Getting Myself Into)

I just made the move from Baltimore MD to Raleigh NC a year ago. I LOVE IT!!!! My daughter is in Kindergarten and attends a year round school. It is fantastic. Magnet schools you have to apply to get into. We choose not to put our daughter in one because she would have to be bused in or dropped off everyday because there is not one close to my house. Plus I didn't want to overwhelm her her first year. www.wcpss.net/magnet/

When I did my research I choose Knightdale. It seemed to be close to everything and the most bang for your buck. I bought a house in Knightdale in a subdivision called the point at amber ridge. 2500 sq ft for under $180K. Its a very nice growing area. There is a nice apartment complex on the raleigh knightdale line called Auston Grove. http://www.austongroveliving.com/
And some in Knightdale called Laurens Way http://www.laurenswayapartments.com/
Or Greystone at Widewaters - www.greystoneatwidewaters.com

I work in Fuquay-Varina which is nice area too. It about 45 mins from Knightdale. South of Raleigh. It relatively close to Lillington. I work in real estate (mortgage to be exact) so I know alot of investors if you want to rent a house or even look at buying one.

I would stay away from anything that is in Raleigh on the south end.

Well if you have any questions or want to ask about a particular neighborhood email me at ____@____.com or ____@____.com

I live in Apex (a bit west of Raleigh) and love it!!! I am now a stay at home mom, but before that I was a teacher in Wake County. The schools are great! Magnet simply means that they offer a special program in their school. For exaple, a school might be a global magnet school (Combs Elem. I think) which means they integrate learning about things from around the world into their everyday curiculum. They also used to call year round schools magnet because they had extra specials like dance and drama and spanish in addition to the regular PE, Art, music, etc. If you go to www.wcpss.net you can look at the school systems website and it will give you more info on specific schools. You should know that a good number of schools have changed to year round schedules. I think it is great as I used to be a teacher in a year round school, but a lot of other people think it is horrible. I think it gives everyone a chance to "recharge" during the school year and it give you opportunity to go out of town all during the year instead of just one long summer. That may come in handy for you since you are a single mom and getting ready to leave your friends in IL. Don't worry about that though! Everyone down here is so friendly, you'll make new ones in no time!

Good luck with your move! If I can help you any more, just send me an e-mail.
C.
____@____.com

Good Evening!
Well I have officially been in the Raleigh area now for a little over a year. Like many I am a "Yankee Transplant" I moved here in 2006 from Baltimore Maryland and although there are times I miss my comfort zone of B-more, I am really adjusting well. I too moved down here as a single mom to be closer to my family and have to admit was very impressed with the schools down here. To me the classes are smaller and the curriculm is actually more challenging. My daughter is now a fourth grader and attends Brassfield Elementary School (year round). I can only tell you what I know... I live in what is considered North Raleigh and like many up and coming areas is it getting alittle crowded. Like some have said the surrounding areas of Raleigh are easier to get more bang for your buck. My new husband and I (got married in August of this year) are starting to look at little north of Raleigh in the Wake Forest or Youngesville area. I have to say that last June when I decided to make the move down here it was the best decision for my daughter and I. The enviroment is much more friendlier.

Good Luck and if I can help with anything else you can email me at ____@____.com

R.

hello. if you're interested in meeting other moms in the area - i found meetup.com is a great site! i found a great moms group. the website is easy to use! you find different groups with about any interest imaginable. i can't give any advice on the raleigh area since i live down by ft. bragg /fayetteville/hope mills area. hope this is useful to you!! and thanks for the info on introducing whole milk to mys on.

Hello S.,
I am native Raleigh folk, having been born and lived here my entire life. I have seen many changes to this area, but I still love my hometown more than anywhere I have ever visited! Raleigh has grown to be a very exciting place to be!
As for places to live, I assume since your family is south of this area, you are looking south, as well? Any rule as to where to live in Raleigh should be largely based on where you are planning to work. I find that the traffic problems on I-40/440 (Beltline) are a major issue around here, and if you can move somewhere where you do not have to travel that route to and from work each day, then your life will be much easier!
Also, I have to TOTALLY disagree about the comment made about places south of Raleigh- I grew up in the Garner area and it is a wonderful town. I hasn't yet grown to the proportions that Cary has, but still retains its small town feeling. Cary is also nice, but has gotten a little over the top with all the town ordinances, restrictions, and such. Plus, housing prices there are generally higher. Clayton is nice and growing fast, but I find that it has less accessibility to Raleigh. Traffic jams there are also a daily treat! Fuquay-Varina is ok, too, but is a little farther away from Raleigh (kind of like Clayton) so prepare for traffic and travel time to and from if you are planning on working in the city. However, if you are looking to be closer to your family in Lillington and/or Fayetteville, Fuquay-Varina might be perfect for you, as it is on that side of Raleigh and both are a straight shot right down HWY 401.
The only places I would be more wary of are certain areas inside the beltline, close to the city (esp south and southeast of the immediate downtown area). Do your research before looking in those areas. Crime typically seems to be worse in those areas.
As for Wake county schools, they are ALL wonderful! Be prepared that some parents around here get all riled up over the silliest things with the school system. I am a former teacher in rural eastern NC where kids do not have even half the luxuries that this area enjoys, and students in the this county are VERY fortunate compared to other areas. I also graduated from this school system, so I can personally vouch for its excellence!
Good luck with your move, and email me if you have any questions.

I disagree on the assessment of south Raleigh. There are several nice neighborhoods there. Garner is also very affordable. There is something for everyone in Raleigh, for every type of lifestyle. So if you're wealthy and money isn't an object, you can buy a penthouse or a mansion in Hayes Barton. If you're on a tight budget, there are affordable rentals. And tons in between. You can look up crime stats on http://imaps.co.wake.nc.us/imaps/. Overall, Raleigh is a really safe city. Wake County schools are really good, so there's no reason to worry about that. I have 4 kids in 3 different schools on the traditional school calendar. They are all in magnet schools, but those are our neighborhood schools. I live near downtown Raleigh, which has a lot of walkable areas (think:sidewalks). Fuquay-Varina has a nice little downtown area, too, and is near Lillington.

Hi there!
First, welcome ... I think NC is a wonderful place. I moved here in January and it really does have so much to offer. My daughter is only 2 but I keep hearing that the school systems are really good in Wake County. Feel free to contact me for a play date when you plan on visiting next!
P.