Start picking...

---

Dog is God spelled backwards. That means something. I'm just not sure what exactly. But human is namuh spelled backwards.- Marc-Christophe

I live just north, in Davidson up by the lake.

Ask away.

Greg

---

If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

I've been to Charlotte. Does that help?

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Thinking about relocating there from Boston. Going to visit in Sept for a long weekend and want to know the ins and outs. Mainly looking at potential living areas at this point, but want to know which towns/neighborhoods are at the top of the list and which areas to avoid. I've linked up with a real estate agent, and she really likes the Fort Mills, SC area, as well as the Waxhaw, NC area. My job will most likely be at a hospital and I have two young kids who will be starting school soon. Any thoughts on where to look? Pros and cons of the area in general? Thanks.

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

I've been living in Charlotte for 10+ years now but just moved to Indian Land, SC which is sandwiched right between Fort Mill and Waxhaw where you are looking. We moved from South Charlotte over the border to South Carolina specifically for the schools since my daughter starts Kindergarten this Fall and we didn't like the schools we were zoned for. We looked all around the same areas you mentioned and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them IMO. In any of them, you are probably only about 15 minutes from South Charlotte/Ballantyne where there are TONS of shopping, restaurants, and everything you'd need. You are little farther from Uptown Charlotte and that drive home during rush hour might take some time (if you end up having to make it) but aside from that, you should find getting around fairly painless and easy. I work uptown and take the train (light rail) into work so I only have to face a little of that congestion getting to/from the station which takes 20-30 minutes even during rush hour.

Pros are highly rated schools/school district; lower taxes (for us coming from Charlotte...I'm sure you'd see a drop coming from Boston), more house for the money. If you focus on Fort Mill, Waxhaw, and those areas, I'm not sure there are really any neighborhoods to avoid. We live in Legacy Park which is a very popular and large community of around 750 houses I believe. Great amenities and although this is our 1st time paying HOA fees, the cost is reasonable based on the cost (and the value of what you received) and other houses we looked at.

I don't really have any cons for the area. If I had to nitpick, I'd like a few more decent food options close (5-10 minutes or less away) but that's really reaching because in 15 minutes, we can get to pretty much any type of cuisine we want. We have 2 large grocery stores (Publix and Harris Teeter) less than 5 minutes away so we can buy and make anything we want.

Let me know if you have any more questions...I'm happy to help. If you need any real estate help, I can refer to our agent who was great. It's a small husband/wife company and she specializes in relocations.

I may be looking for a room to rent for three nights In the Cambridge area , Oct 22nd week end. Any leads?

---

sometimes

I can tell you that if you arrive to gate E36 and your connection is in C19, and they're half way through boarding when you land, you'll have to run pretty hard to make it.

So you're saying the schools are better overall in SC? What about Tega Cay, any good? The drive is not that big of a deal for me, I have a 20min commute now in no traffic and 30min with traffic. As far as shopping, I'm fine with whatever, but my wife will need a Target and Starbucks within reaching distance at all times.

The taxes thing is no joke, I don't even want to admit how much I currently pay, but it's not a wallet friendly number. I'm certain I've been helping to pay for corrupt state contracts.

So what is the training and racing like down there? I've heard mountain biking is big, what about local tri's and 'cross racing? Oh, and is there really riding year round or close to it?

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

In my opinion and according to the general population reviews, yes, the schools are rated higher in SC. Specifically in York Country (Rock Hill, Fort Mill), the ratings are through the roof. In Indian Land, we are in Lancaster County and the schools are still better there than where we were zoned in South Charlotte. Not to say the schools in Charlotte are all bad (there are some great ones) but we didn't care for the one my daughter was slotted to attend. They also change the "zoning" in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County) so if we bought a new Charlotte house specifically to be close to a school, it's no guarantee that we'd remain zoned for that school (I'm talking public not private schools). Where we are now, there is 1 public school option so we know where our kids are going as long as we remain here.

Tega Cay is largely on the water. Lots of high end houses there but it's a great area. I'm not too sure about the school zoning there because there wasn't much for sale there when we were house hunting. They do a great supported OWS there every Sunday morning for like 9-10 months of the year which I've done a ton. Starts off at Nivens Landing (a boat launch) and there is typically very little boat or jetski traffic that early in the morning. It's fully supported with multiple kayaks and there are varying distances up to 2+miles with easy identifiable landmarks for turnaround points.

As for as shopping, I'm pretty sure you'll find multiple Targets and Starbucks close if you are in any of the areas you are looking at. We are less than 15 minutes away from multiple Targets (which is also our preferred store) and too many Starbucks to count. In fact, there is a Starbucks in pretty much every Target and Harris Teeter (one of the big grocery store chains down here) so you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone!

Training and racing is great in my opinion. With 2 kids under 5, my training isn't what I'd like it to be but I'm solid MOP for large events when I can hit it hard. For smaller, local sprint-type races, I'm typically competitive in my AG (M40-44) and the competition is strong. There are a couple race companies around here that put on great events throughout the year and there are several within a few hours of Charlotte (if not closer or in the Charlotte area). SetUp Events does events both in NC and SC and Jones Racing Company also does some great events. Those are the bigger companies but there are others as well. I had a big year last year racing (did the Chatt 70.3 and IMMT and IMLOU) so I'm taking this year "off" and just having fun doing trail racing mostly with tons of family time. I'll get back into it next year as I'm already registered for the Florida 70.3 and Chatt 70.3. I'll get back into some of the local sprints as well which are great.

For riding, check out http://www.weeklyrides.com. They have a Facebook Group as well but that's the best source for rides in this area. You can find 5 mile cruiser rides to "A" breakaway rides. There are a lot of strong bikers in this area. The Unknown Brewery ride on Saturday afternoons and the Old Meck Brewery ride on Sundays are huge rides (100+ riders typically). There are a lot of rides that roll that Waxhaw and that's one of my favorite places to ride (great scenery). It used to be all country and that's changing fast and there's a lot more traffic nowadays but in groups rides, it's still safe and fun. I know people that ride all year round (I don't) but you could reasonably probably comfortably ride for 10 months out of the year easily. I take it indoors in the in the winter as I don't mind cold running but hate cold biking.

I don't know much about cross racing but it seems like it's growing from what I read online. Mountain biking is good. We have the US Whitewater Center about 15 minutes west of Charlotte. That's where I do a majority of my running (on the trails) but there are tons of mountain biking there and it's an amazingly fun place. There are also plenty of other options nearby and you have multiple mountain options which you can get to in 2 hours or less.

I'll echo what miketri7 said about the local tri/cross/cycling scene if it's similar to Davidson, just north. There are plenty of sprint tris around the area and a mix of longer tris as well. There is a local website dedicated to local cycling groups called weeklyrides.com you can log in to for a list of groups. There are other groups not listed that you will find out about if you are riding the area. In addition, there are several cycling events like charity rides, Blood, Sweat, & Gears (known as BSG around here), Assault on Morrow Mountain Series, Tour de Pig, Tour de Leaves, etc.

Hope it works out for you.

Greg

---

If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

I lived in CLT from 2007-2016. If I moved back (which is mildly likely) I'd look closest at the Huntersville/Cornelius/Davidson area. I think, generally, you'll be a LOT closer to Charlotte proper (i.e. uptown, South End, Myers Park, Dilworth) and you'll have a lot less traffic to deal with (sort of), as - in my opinion - south Charlotte is an absolute nightmare. Commuting into Charlotte from Waxhaw (and out of) can be abysmal (like 1hr+) depending on time of departure.

The riding is also great up north of the city, as the roads become mostly rural very quickly (same could be said of just over the border in SC and Waxhaw area as well). Mountain biking is very solid in Charlotte (there even trails within the city limits, like Backyard and Renaissance) but it's really great when you take into account what's close to the 485 loop (USNWC, Sherman Branch, Rocky River). You're also much closer to some of the best mountain biking in the country (Dupont and Pisgah forest) from up north (Huntersville/Davidson). Further, up north of CLT is closer to some of the best road biking I have ever done (western NC in Morganton, Blowing Rock, Linville, Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, Asheville...). Tons of racing of all types around Charlotte, I definitely miss that (in Tucson, AZ now).

You can def ride year round. Jan/Feb can be kinda rough, but not compared to the conditions in Boston...

They talk funny down there. Then again, you're coming from Boston...

---

---

---

Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

It's called Cackalacky or one could be a Cackalacka (North or South).

Personally, I would move to Cary (Containment Area for Relocated Yankees). Yeah, I know it's in Wake County (#1 school system in the state), but Raleigh and Charlotte are suburbs of Cary (inside joke if you don't live in Cary or haven't dealt with the Town of Cary). Although I'm not racing anymore, the tri scene is biggly around here - Inside Out Sports has their rides and team, you and your kids can join any of the year-round swim teams (WAVE, MOR (#2 in the USA), RSA, Titans) or grab lane space at TAC, and you can run the hundreds of miles of greenways and trails in the area. You have Duke, WakeMed or the UNC-Rex Health Systems to choose from if it comes down to employment.

I haven't really ruled any area out, but was leaning more towards CLT since I have family there. Thanks for the info.

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

What hospital? I've been here a year, live near Concord. Traffic can suck at times, but it depends where you're going and when.

Some good schools in Mecklenburg county, but redistricting is a pain. Waxhaw is nice, but has seen explosive growth and they're scrambling to build school capacity. The 3 high schools and their feeder schools in western Union county are good, but redistributing can be a risk. I live in Cabarrus county, and my area is rapidly growing, but the schools are very good and there are some really nice neighborhoods here.

PM if you have any specific questions.

---

******************************
If I don't, who will? -Me
It's like being bipolar in opinion is a requirement around here. -TripleThreat

See, I was always told that north of CLT was very sketch unless you live on the lake, but then the house prices start getting out of hand. As it is now, my commute to work is about 20min, which I am fine with. I would be OK with a little longer commute, but getting up into the hr long commute is not what I want to do. I've got 3-days to drive as many miles as I can in and around the city (suburbs). Any spots I should not miss while I'm there food wise? And what about bike shops, wheres the place to go? Any good tri teams in the area?

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

I am a recent transplant, so others might have a better perspective on how things were or how they have changed. Growth in the area is significant and you should definitely consider your commute. The South Park, Ballantyne, and Myers Park are the more established and well-heeled areas of town and offer a lot in terms of shopping and dining and are closer to uptown. Count on paying a premium in those neighborhoods. The Ft. Mill and western Union County, NC areas offer the most bang for your buck with excellent schools. Property taxes are much lower than where you are coming from and you will appreciate that discount. These areas are exploding and it remains to be seen how schools and infrastructure keep up, but there is distinct suburban or even sub-rural quality that remains in both areas. Look at Waxhaw, Marvin and Weddington in Union County and Ft. Mill for new construction and good schools. I seriously doubt that redistricting will have a significant affect on quality of education, but you should consider the issue when looking in Union County.

Coming from Boston, get ready for hot summers and mild winters. You should be fine riding outside nearly year round. Plenty of group rides, mountain biking, pools and running to be had. Its a short drive to the mountains and beach and it really is a beautiful place to live in its own right. There is a reason everyone is moving here. Good luck in your search and PM me if you need specifics.

---

Dog is God spelled backwards. That means something. I'm just not sure what exactly. But human is namuh spelled backwards.- Marc-Christophe

"See, I was always told that north of CLT was very sketch unless you live on the lake..."

Uh, no, wrong. I live in Davidson and there are several homes in our neighborhood that are over $1,000,000 listed for sale right now. There are lots of very nice neighborhoods at lower price ranges.

Not sure who told you that.

Greg

---

If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

North of Charlotte as in the University area, maybe. Huntersville is pretty nice, and Davidson is awesome. Cornelius is kind of right in between.

Some as yet sort of undiscovered cool areas to live near Charlotte include Belmont and Mt Holly. I think those areas are going to get really big somewhat soon. You're west of the city sort of in the country but it's not on a major commuting route (Providence Rd/16 for Waxhaw/Union County which is simply awful, I77 for north of town, which is better but definitely traffic-y if you're heading into Uptown).

There is practically a bike shop on every corner in Charlotte. The best ones are Bicycle Sport and Uptown Cycles. If you like Specialized you'll have to stick to Bike Source. There is a tri shop (Inside Out Sports) but it's recently changed management and gotten a bit smaller and I don't know much about it anymore. Not as many shops south of town that I'm aware of, but there are a few options up north as well.

Charlotte has some solid food options, can't think of too many right now but in terms of burgers Bad Daddy's (on East Blvd) and Bang Bang (on Pecan I think?) can't be beat.

I think it was more a reference to the northern part of the city proper, not the towns north of the city. From what I've seen Davidson is an excellent place, my concern would be the commute, is it bad if you are rush touring it into or out of the city on a daily basis?

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

We are definitely interested in the areas you mentioned, the biggest concern will be schools and commute. With the population on a steady growth I can only imagine that the commute everywhere will only get worse over time. Any places to avoid or tips on what might look like a good spot but in reality aren't? Also, any pros/cons to living in SC and working in NC? I see the taxes are lower and the schools are really good so what's the catch, what am I missing as to why they are so crazy low?

---

_________________________
I got nothing.

From what I have observed, there are several hundred thousand others making the commute from towns north of Charlotte, so it must not be too bad....;-P

I-77 is pretty bad during the school year, not so terrible in the summer. Right now, there is construction that has made matters worse. Worse still, the construction is to put in toll lanes. Part of the agreement with the private company installing the toll lanes is that the state will not widen the adjoining interstate lanes from the two existing lanes for a period of 50 years. That sucks and has just about everyone north of CLT livid. Our 'leaders' in Raleigh sold us out right there. One of many times, but this one stung.

From what I have been told by neighbors that work at the banks, they plan on about 45 minutes for the commute into downtown from Davidson. It takes me about 25 minutes to get about 2/3 of the way there to my office, so that sounds about right.

---

If you are a Canuck that engages in gratuitous bashing of the US, you are probably on my Iggy List. So, save your self a bunch of typing a response unless you also feel the need to gratuitously bash me. If so, have fun.
"Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f___ things up" - Barack Obama, 2020

I live in Dilworth, just south of downtown. Traffic on I-77 between downtown and the lake is a disaster in both directions just about any time. Same with anything related to I485 in South Charlotte. Every time I get stuck in that crap I'm glad I chose to live close to downtown. Sure you pay more, but how much is your time worth? Look for something close and forget about that traffic. South End, Cotswold, Sedgefield, the Plaza, and Elizabeth still have some reasonable options. You may not be able to get 3,000 square feet but you'll be home sipping a cocktail while everyone else is sitting in traffic convincing themselves it's not too bad.

if you can afford Dilworth, Elizabeth, Myers Park, Chantilly, Plaza Midwood, etc... definitely awesome. Since living in AZ I've gotten more used to more space for less money, which is not something you experience within that...4 or 5 mile radius of uptown.

i think south end has jumped the shark as of about 2 years ago. too expensive and too many young bros wandering around between breweries.