If you are moving to Charlotte from the Northeast, or from the West Coast, there are a few things you’ll need to adjust too…
Charlotte is a Best Value City according to Kiplinger’s Consumer Reports
Actually ranked #2 in the nation citing relative home values and lower cost of living, and “It’s a banking mecca, and a wide green streak runs through it.”
since they say it so well, “There are more than 125 companies in green industries, and the city hopes to reduce energy use downtown by 20% by 2016. To accommodate electric vehicles, 26 charging stations are being sprinkled around town. A big draw for companies such as Electrolux, which recently relocated its North American headquarters to Charlotte, is the family-oriented atmosphere. Schools are top-notch — last year 14 of the 33 area high schools were ranked among the top 1,600 schools in the nation”
More from Kiplinger here
Best Value True Story from 2 recent relocations
A physician and his family moved here last year from Chatham NJ and took a 20% paycut and his standard of living improved! Yes he left his 2300 sf home and $12,000 tax bill, bought in Ballantyne under $700,000 and 4500 sf, and taxes of $9,000 per year. This spring, two IBM salespeople sell their home in Westchester County, and buy a beauty in Myers Park for cash. A retiring NYC policeman buys here, stretches his retirement dollar a mile. Can’t move in for 6 months he closes and goes and registers his automobiles so he can start paying NC insurance instead of NYC insurance! Saves thousands.
I asked the physician’s wife her biggest surprise in moving to Charlotte? “It was just so easy, so easy for kids to make friends, for us to make new friends and just become part of the place.” A low cost of living means more disposable income, and more money to do things with!
Speaking of automobiles- it is about lifestyle! You might need a convertible!! Or motorcycle. Long spring, long fall, long summer, short winter!
Heck, your dog will like it, mine sure does. There are plenty of sunny days in Charlotte, plenty of convertible days. “Weather nice enough to move to Charlotte for”, I used to tell my brothers… My wife loves her Mini-Cooper- I love that it get 40mpg and other than oil and brakes, needs no maintenance. Yeah!
IF you live with big traffic, well you won’t be able to say, “I got stuck on the 405 for two hours and won’t be able to make it over.” Just won’t happen here… here is a video that travels about ten miles from the SC border to Uptown Charlotte… we have congestion regularly, but not what you are used too…Like nearly everywhere, we need to work on our roads.
In May, Kiplinger cited Charlotte as one of the ten best cities for college graduates- young people!
Charlotte added 4900 jobs last year and is a growing city of energy engineers, nuclear and banking of course.
“Pros: A cost-of-living bargain compared to other major cities, rebounding economy.”
More from Kiplingers here.
We ARE BUILDING! New Uptown Since 2009!
post-recession, funded by the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte, the 2nd most successful (in dollars raised) city arts fundraiser in the US:
The Levine Cultural Center is Completed. It includes:
Knight Theater, the Becthler Museum of Modern Art, the Mint Museum of Craft And Design, the Gantt Center for African American History
In addition, the Ritz Carlton opened, Charlotte’s first 5 star uptown hotel, and its neighbor, the green building, the very green 32 story Bank of America building adjacent to the Ritz and the B of A tower.
Did I forget something? Oh yes, graduate students of University of North Carolina at Charlotte began their studies at the new 12 story , $50M in town location- with a Rubik’s cube look, you won’t miss it in First Ward. Not to mention the 55 story Duke Energy building 75% leased.
Then there is the NC Music Factory, a collection of indoor and outdoor venues for local and national talent, as well as several new popular bars adding to the nightlife of Uptown Charlotte.
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