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blown9746
10-09-2009, 09:37 AM
I am being relocated to Charlotte by my employer and just wanted to get some recommendations on areas to live in:

It looks like my office will be in S. Charlotte (by S. Park Mall), I've never been there.

- schools are important (I have two small children)
- would like area with newer construction
- relatively easy commute to area of my office
- medical facilities relatively close (wife is an RN and will be looking for employment)

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated

HOTRODSHOP
10-12-2009, 04:19 PM
look in the Indian Trail or Pineville area for housing,,maybe even Mathews. great housing in those areas and easy to get up to S Park from any of those places. have your wife check Carolinas
Medical Center, they are 2nd to none and also on the southern part of Charlotte,,if you want to get just a little further from the big city,,look at Belmont and Gastonia,,either is a short drive. Lots of car bussins around the area,,DSE is just up the road in Mooresville as is all the NASCAR Teams,,,hope all goes well for you

sniper
10-15-2009, 11:16 AM
Charlotte as a whole is new and fresh. I say that comparing it to say a city like Pittsburgh, cleveland or buffalo.

I have 2 seniors in school here and have been in this school system for 8 years. I hate it. But there are some good schools, but a lot of politics and money thrown around. I can't stand the way they conduct day to day operations in the schools. Example. My daughter has only 8 classes per year, 4 per semester. Each class is nearly 1:45 minutes long. In my opinion that is way to long for a single period. And on top of that. Let's say your kid has math this first semster this year, it is possible that they would not take another math class for a full year in between, if it came in the second semester the following year.
On the other hand I have a daughter that is a H.S. sophmore in NY. I would never bring her here to go to school. Anywho, that is my diatribe on the schools here.

There are some really good private schools here, if that tickles your pickle.

Housing: As I said there is plenty of new construction, especially in the south park area. It's a very nice area, and can range from the low 100's towards what I call little mexico (south blvd) to multi million dollar homes where the wachovia golf championship is held just a few miles away. You can probably buy a cheap condo downtown in one of the half empty new towers. :lol

I'd beg top differ with the previous post on the indian trail or pineville location, just because of traffic to south park would be miserable. But then again, I cannot stand sitting in traffic, at all.

Traffic down there sucks big time no matter how you slice it. Very congested. But it is pretty much time of day dependent. 5 minutes can make smooth sailing or walking speed.

My wife is an RN as well, and there is plenty of work in charlotte and surrounding areas. Plenty of hospitals, clinics, retirement homes, rehap centers, and other opportunities.

When is the planned move? If it is at all possible, I would come a few weeks before the family and rent a hotel room. Check out the area, take some commutes to and from areas you are looking at and just get a general feel of charlotte.
Just so you know where I am coming from, I delivered mail for the USPS in the southpark area for almost 4 years, so I know it pretty good.

blown9746
10-16-2009, 10:37 AM
The move will be the end of march and we will be there for a 10 day house hunting trip probably mid to the end of january.

I'm sure the traffic isn't as bad as what I've been subjected to in the past (Wash DC and Seattle). By easy commute, I'm trying to limit it to 30 minutes or less.

I know my wife has been looking at a lot of the areas south (ballantyne, waxhaw, and a bunch of new subdivisions). Trying to keep price to $350k or less if that makes a difference.

We are probably going to rent for the first 6 mo-year to make sure we are in an area we really want to be in, but when we do buy we'll be looking for single family (3or 4 bed/2+bath/2+car garage), newer home.

thanks for the invoice

B's Nova
10-16-2009, 11:29 PM
I've been in Charlotte for the past six years, relocated here by my job. I used to live in southern Maryland, and the traffic on interstate 77 in the morning and afternoons is what you would see on 495 in MD\DC\VA. Add a NASCAR race into the mix and it is equal to an accident during rush hour on 495. But there are ways around it much better than there is up north.

As far as schools, check out the Cotswald, Myers Park area. They are the best neighborhoods in Charlotte with regards to schools and a safe place to raise kids. You will also be able to find homes in that area for that price range.

I live in southwest Charlotte, near the SC border, and the elementary schools as well as the junior high school are very good in the area (They just need to build a new senior high school as the one near us sucks and my daughter when she reaches high school age will not be attending, she is 10, so hopefully one will be built by then), as we are next to the Palisades development. Check the link out. www.thepalisades.info (http://www.thepalisades.info)

Homes there start from 300k to 3m. But the developments surrounding the area you will be able to find in your price range. You may be able to get one in the Palisades on a short sale as the execs from Walcovia, and BOA live in that area as well as the South Park area.

Just to let you know a co-worker of mine just brought a $450K home for $190K on a short sale, so when looking for homes here keep an eye out for those as well.