You’re considering a move and one of the states on your list is North Carolina. That’s a good choice as the Tarheel State offers a rich mixture of what some people want: mountains, hills, lakes, and a long coast. It also offers several important metropolitan areas, excellent universities, growing companies, and ample farmland. Here’s what you should know before making a move to North Carolina.
100 Counties, 3 Major Metro Areas
North Carolina has exactly 100 counties. From Cherokee county in the far west to Dare county down east, there are so many places to call home.
In the mountains, Buncombe county features Asheville, one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities in the Appalachians. Watauga county is home to Appalachian State University, while Mitchell county is where you’ll find Mt. Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the state.
Wake (Raleigh), Mecklenberg (Charlotte), and Guilford (Greensboro) counties are some of the most populace counties in the state, home to each of the state’s largest cities and flanked by a variety of suburban communities.
Raleigh along with Durham and Chapel Hill are the pillar communities for what is known as the Triangle region, representing the Research Triangle Park, also known as Silicon Valley East. The area is booming as companies continue to move in, expand, and as retirees find a region rich in affordable housing opportunities, excellent hospitals, and crowned by numerous entertainment and sporting options, especially golf.
Greensboro, along with Winston-Salem and High Point round out the Triad region, located just one hour west of the Triangle and 90 minutes north of Charlotte. The area remains a popular transportation hub and is prized for its manufacturing base and cultural significance. It also played an important role in the American Civil Rights Movement. The Triad is one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina.
Charlotte is the state’s largest city and home to more than 800,000 people. Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte remains an important financial capital as Wells Fargo and Bank of America are headquartered there. The city boasts numerous educational institutions, has a thriving Uptown area, and is the backdrop for NASCAR although its motorsports connection is actually in neighboring Concord in Cabarrus county.
Your Housing Choices
Like any state, North Carolina offers a variety of housing choices, ranging from modest ranch homes to sprawling mansions. You’ll also find mobile homes, cottages, seasonal housing, and developable land.
If you live in the city, you’ll find your share of townhouses and condominiums, but there are ample single-story homes too. Housing prices are on the way up in most major metropolitan areas. The good news is that if you’re moving from the northeast or the west coast to North Carolina, the equity in your current home may cover the entire cost of a new home in the Tarheel State.
Land prices are rising, but for people wanting to purchase a few acres well outside of the major metro areas, the cost is reasonable. Communities such as Wilson, Fayetteville, Fuquay-Varina, Wilmington, and Elizabeth City are quite affordable. In fact, any town not located in the immediate and largest metropolitan areas offer a great selection of reasonably priced homes and land. Even working farms are available, if that suits you.
Making Your Move
Clearly, several visits to North Carolina will reveal what this state has to offer and whether it presents the right kind of move for you and your family. When you find a community of interest to you, then meet with a real estate agent to find homes to your liking. Once you make that determination, then reach out to your moving company to make that transition a reality advises the Allied Moving Companies.