going to NC in too weeks too, for the same reasons (from INdiana), good luck with your search!

dognbutterfly,

Thanks good luck to you as well. House prices in Ny where we are from are crazy so we figured we would check out the area.

kind of excited to get away from corn fields and flat land...eager to be near mountains and beaches, but probably end up in the middle as that is were the jobs are, and the affordable housing...if you get any great leads or info you can email me at jpc1521 @yahoo.com

Check out Tega Cay (or) Fort Mill, South Carolina (www.tegacaysc.org). It has everything you are looking for. Good Luck!

I don't know anything about high speed phone service, but you will have no problem getting a job as a teacher. There is a shortage of teachers throughout the area. The Charlotte- Mecklenburg school system probably pays the best, but has the most problems. The newest thing we hear is that they are going to force the best teachers to move to the worst schools. I would stay away from CMS; there are plenty of school systems nearby that offer competitive salaries, without all of the hassle. The Fort Mill, S.C./ Tega Cay area is nice, and doesn't have as much traffic problems as some other areas around Charlotte. Also, the Belmont and Cramerton areas in Gaston County, N.C. have very good schools and some nice new family friendly neighborhoods with a short commute to Charlotte. Union County, NC also has good schools, and many wonderful new developments around the Weddington area, but they are beginning to have traffic problems. The areas toward Lake Norman and Huntersville, as well as Cabarrus County all have terrible traffic problems and very overcrowded schools.

Best Wishes!

We are in the same situation, we are trying to get out of the Wash,DC/MD area but we are considering the Raleigh area. Does anyone have any information or personal experience with Wake County schools in Raleigh? As far as housing in Raleigh, very, very inexpensive compared to Wash,DC/MD area. We visited this past weekend and are looking at a brand new 5 bedroom, 3 full bath with a loft for only $179K. Now you can't beat that!! Now we just need to find a good paying job. Let me know if you would like additional information and I'll share what we have come across.

Look towards South Charlotte - especially the "Ballantyne" area....very nice and growing rapidly....

Mecklenburg County is always looking for teachers. The unemployment rate is low here.

Check out the Highland Creek neighborhood. It's on the north side. Much more affordable than the Ballantyne area.

I have lived in Charlotte for over 25 years. It is growing fast and all suburb schools are overcrowded. If you want to spend your afternoons and mornings in traffic move to Lake Norman, Huntersville. Weddington or Ballantyne. If you want to be home in 10-20 minutes or so, find a place in town. We offer great older neighborhoods like around Park Rd Shopping Center, Freedom Park, Montclaire, Dilworth (quite expensive)Park Road/Huntingtown Farms area. They are NOT forcing teachers to equity schools. We need great teachers. My son, a 9th grader is getting a great education in Char-Meck Schools. Our Schools, city and neighborhoods are what we make them!!!! Good luck and it's a great place to raise kids.

Everyone around here has their opinions on Char.-Meck. schools but I think you will find most parents are fed up with the problems that only seem to multiply here. The School board only seems to create new problems with some of the ridiculous things they pass. If CMS is doing such a fine job then why are so many Mecklenburg county towns and communities looking into seceding from CMS? I grew up in Charlotte, and many of my lifelong friends are teachers. Many still live in the Charlotte area but choose to work in schools in surrounding counties because working for CMS is so difficult, and teachers get little support from the school adminstration and school board. I see the wonderful neighborhood schools that my nieces attend in Gaston county, and the great experiences several of my friends' kids are having in the Fort Mill, SC schools and wonder why CMS can't do any better.

My sister in Gaston County tells me that many of her neighbors work in Charlotte but chose to live in Gaston Co. to get away from CMS. Some families and kids are fortunate and have had good experiences with the schools here. However, it seems that many more have had to change schools every year or so because CMS decides to change their districts and/or the way they do their school "choice" plan. (Oh, I believe the school board has recently voted to drop the word "choice" from the name.) Yes, my family has been fortunate to live in an area of Charlotte where my kids have been able to attend good schools near home, but I know many people who have not been so fortunate. (even though they paid big bucks to move into the "right" neighborhood.)

If you have kids and are planning to move to Charlotte or anywhere in Mecklenburg county, do your homework! Also understand that just because you buy a home in a school district this year, it may not be the same next year. Every year you must apply for the school of your choice (or whatever they have decided to call it now) within your home school zone area.

The Charlotte area is a great place to live, and I'm proud to have grown up here, and proud of many things going on in the area. Hopefully in the future the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System will catch up with the quality of other things happening in the area.

Best Wishes!