So we're looking at a few states (I put up a post about Kentucky awhile ago too) and the Asheville region of NC has come up as a nice looking place. The politics are a 50/50 split (Which is terrible.. we're coming from a 90+% conservative area), the economics look right and the land area look pretty and great for motorcycle riding.
I looked up some stuff on gun laws though. WTF ?
Can anyone give me insight to some of these things ? Homeschooling, gun laws, politics, etc ?
Would be greatly appreciated !
They just voted in a democRat Gov.
Before we let you come you must promise to make two families from either 1) Pennsylvania or 2) Ohio return to their original state.
LOL
Bought a house here in 2008 moved in 2011 love it in the suburbs south of Charlotte
We homeschool... very HS friendly. For conservative values, I recommend Raleigh over Asheville. The state, as a whole, is fairly conservative but there is a balance for the political parties. Not versed in specific gun laws.
I home schooled my daughter for some years. Not any issues I remember. Open carry state. Permit for conceal. If you get pulled over put gun on dash above steering wheel facing motor and hands on lower steering wheel and be sure to tell officer first thing if they don’t see it that it’s on the dash. If they ask why it’s chambered and ready, (like theirs are) just say “for My safety”....
Asheville is the hipster region. Nice place to retire if you have the money. It’s expensive there.
If I had to move to NC I would move to Newbern/Morehead city area. It’s part military, part blue collar, and red white and blue.
Research Triangle Park - Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill - economic engine of the region
Charolette - Banking Capital and failover site for NYC/Chicago if cities go off line
Smokey Mountains - Mountain to the Sea Trail - Atlantic Ocean!
NC has it all. Stay out of the cities to avoid the liberals.
I lived in the People’s Republic of Chapel Hill for five years. My seven-year-old daughter was badly bullied because we had a Bush sign in 2004. Avoid the hardcore liberal places if you have kids, because the kids will find out that you are not a True Believer, and there’s no forgiveness. Anyplace else, the biggest issue is Duke versus North Carolina. Better pick a side.
Asheville is pretty trendy and left leaning. Like most places the closer your are to the bigger cities the more left wing the politics. Outside of the major metro areas NC is pretty conservative. Good people. They have a new Dem governor but still have a Republican legislature. The Dems in NC are about as corrupt as they come in state government.
Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham very liberal. Asheville Kalifornia-level liberal. Outside of the these areas it is conservative to very conservative.
Asheville is a beautiful, historic small city in a gorgeous valley with an unusual “microclimate” being in a thermal belt, they get a small amount of snow but winter as you know it is only an occasional visitor. Summers are mild as well. The town boomed but was badly over leveraged in the 20’s and the crash affected it badly, they didn’t get it all paid down until the late 70’s. That problem created an unusual situation, the fine art neauveau and art deco architecture of the downtown was preserved by neglect, no urban renewal, no razing of entire blocks for new development, and so has come back to life in a fantastic way. It’s Beer City USA, all the microbreweries, it’s amazing. The recreational opportunities and natural beauty surrounding it have few equals in the eastern US.
So, of course it’s drawn every nutty leftist, vagabond and wacky wiccan. Asheville has gone left in a big way. The surrounding towns and counties have not, however. Remember, Billy Graham is at Montreat near Black Mountain just outside Asheville. Lake Junaluska is a big religious retreat of long standing. Get outside Asheville and Buncombe county, and you’re in solid red territory, well, other than Hot Springs and Black Mountain itself.
Homeschooling is better than in PA but the specifics aren’t something that I could speak to, but FReeper Tax-chick sure could.
I just e-mailed a friend who has moved from Mass. to North Carolina.
He and his wife are right wingers.
I gave him the url of this discussion thread and hope he contacts you, and can be of help.
He is in Eastern NC and close to the saltwater fishing areas.
I surmise Western NC is more liberal. -Tom
I would avoid any area where cotton or tobacco are predominatly grown. Even these rural counties have feral gangstas and criminals. Piedmont and west are usually safer.
Three words: Upstate South Carolina.
Western Carolina but avoid Asheville and immediate surroundings. Bad traffic and some weird people.
You could do a lot worse than North Georgia or South Georgia. Just stay away from the large cities. Same for Alabama. North Florida is very conservative. Stay away from Tallahassee and the counties directly West of the Capital.
Tim Tebow was home schooled yet competed in athletics in the Jacksonville area.
North Carolina has experienced a generation plus of Yankees streaming in from the northeast mostly
Into the Piedmont and Asheville and in selected coastal locales
It’s a pity because their viral infection has damaged a once great state and turned it iffy
I was born in Goldsboro and have pals all over the state
Choose wisely where to settle
NC is purple - stay far away.
And Charlotte is a disgusting liberal trash city.
I hate going there for work. My 2 cents...probably worth less.
We moved to North Carolina from New Jersey (Philly suburb) four years ago and haven’t looked back.
We made the mistake first of locating to a Charlotte suburb, Waxhaw, but quickly found that it was little New York with a HUGE percentage of relocated New Yorkers living there. A truly miserable bunch.
We then moved to Ashe County, up in the northwest corner of the state and absolutely LOVE it. Very conservative (with the exception of nearby Boone in Watauga county where App State University is). Gun laws are very good. I received my concealed carry within 30 days of applying, you just need to take a gun safety course. You can carry pretty much everywhere except school campuses, government buildings, or in bars while drinking (establishments can post restrictions if they want and you have to abide by them).
Homeschooling is wide open. You just do it. No reporting to any agency, and you can choose any program that you want to teach from. We homeschooled our fourth grader and had no issues. In fact, there are many stores that are setup around the state to provide materials for homeschoolers.
Property taxes are very low compared to the northeast, and home values are much lower. We live on an unbelievable 5 acre lot, with a pond and creek, surrounded by 150 acres of forestland, in a newer 3000 sqft home with a wrap-around porch and we paid $380K for it, with taxes at about $2300 per year.
The state’s politics generally average to the conservative side, but there are liberal strongholds throughout the state, mostly Asheville (a mini-Berkley), Charlotte, Raleigh, and the northeast corner.
Motorcycling is great where I live. The Blue Ridge Parkway is very popular, and we have a lot of very winding, mountainous roads up here in Ashe County that make it a haven for bikers in the summer and fall.
I would highly recommend the move — if you move to the right spot.
If you get invited to a Pig Pickin’, GO! Do NOT say no.
If you are in the Goldsboro area, go to Wilber’s. Everyone should go once.
I love the NC Mountains, but, coastal NC has beauty and great food.
NC is rapidly going hard left. Asheville is the worst - I have been there several times over the last couple of years and have a hard time believing the 50/50 split you mention. Driving through some neighborhoods during the election, I was dismayed to see so many Hillary Clinton signs. More signs than I saw anywhere else in my business travels and that includes the Northeast.