Posted by Donna on May 28, 2000 at 15:52:22:
nm=no message
Avoid eastern NC?? - Posted by Donna
Posted by Donna on May 28, 2000 at 12:54:19:
I was considering a great deal in a small community in eastern NC to live in for myself. Since I’m 1200 miles away, I asked some people in that area their honest opinons. This is one reply I got to it. I was told by another that it is has crime and drug problems (what town doesn’t it seems)…but he was a NC native, so what might seem bad to him, may not be bad to people from other regions of the country.
The house I was looking at was bought by the current owners in 1995 for $125k and is assessed at $135k and now selling for UNDER $100k w/realtor ($99k). Sounds nice too. Large too.
The following is from a 64 yr old woman who lives right around the corner from the property in question ironically. Here’s her comments and answers to my questions…(some things were X’d out for obvious reasons)…
I am originally from Indianapoli , Indiana. I have been here since 1976.
The scholastic levels in eastern nc, are terrible.
If I had a child to educate I would not move to north carolina.
I have worked with many people educated in this area. three of the people I worked with were supervisor, or similar type jobs.
They had all been teachers in the school system here. they were very unqualified for teaching. Their spelling and syntax were bad.
This county school system is probably the worst I have ever seen. I would not bring children to eastern nc for an education. if you insist on doing so, I would live outside of XXXX, the second choice house’s location, and let kids go to that town’s school. It is much better than here, but still not good for scholastice learning. I would go to greenville, or newbern. I moved here with a highschool age son. He had a terrible time with the other kids, they hate outsiders.
I have a friend who tried to have her three children educated in these schools. They were from Ohio originally. the daughter was so unhappy she went back to Ohio to live with her father to finish highschool. The other two children had a terrible time in the school system. lately , I have a friend who came here from canada with a school age child. He had a terrible time in the schools here. the native children make life miserable for any outsiders.
The same holds true for adults. people, who come from other places to live, accept each other, the natives never accept you. these people are clannish. If you were born here, you belong, if not, forget it. You will never belong.
It is beautiful here, i live on the corner of XXXXX and XXXXX dr.
If you are considering the house with the pool on a corner at 123 XXXX, I would not do it. It is a beautiful house, needs serious electrical work. Has bad gutters,and support for them. Needs screens and storm windows are in bad shape… unless the owner has recently replaced them, the locks the front door of the house needs replaced, and the door is old, making lock hard to “just” replace it. The others work poorly. The house has mildew in the closets because of too much shrubbery and not enough sun. Yard is terribly overgrown. and beautiful.
Racial tension is building in this area, also.
the town and county governments are constantly at war within theirselves. The newly elected blacks are starting to stir up things a lot. A serious thing.
I have had many nice friends here, and will miss them. but i will not miss the town, per se. i will, not miss the bigotry, the clannishness the lack of good shopping, the lack of choice in goods, the lack of entertainment, the lack of refinement, the lack of good restaurants. (there is only one good one).
This has been a bad topic to address at this time. I am moving from here in two months. I am not bitter, just realistic.
I am sorry I have to tell you these things in so forthright a manner. I have never been able to varnish over the truth. it is one of the things I am known for. I tell it like it is.
I forgot to address the drug issue. drugs are a problem here, tho I believe they are a problem everywhere.
I am 64. quite open minded and liberal about many things. my kids were coming up in the late 60’s and early 70’s in Indianapolis, I was also single and going out a lot. drugs were a problem then, too. I had to deal with it then, with my kids. It is prevelant everywhere. you, the parent, have to do the controlling and teaching. Avoiding this town would be a good place to start the controlling.
I do hope you find a town, but I would not settle here, for the future of a child.
I know you will find a nice town. the more west you go in the state, the better, for education.
the name (my surname) rings a bell with me, since I worked in an attorney’s office here. I think you may wish to be near relatives. I would reconsider that idea, for the reasons stated above.
=====End of email=====
Now I do NOT have relatives there, just for your info. But now I’m wondering if this is the kind of town for me and if I should bother pursuing this area AT ALL? Nice to have someone who actually was IN the house in question. The problems of the house are not overbearing…all can still be done and a profit still taken I think.
Any thoughts?
Donna
Is her house for sale too? (nt) - Posted by steph in tex
Posted by steph in tex on May 30, 2000 at 07:45:32:
nt
Re: The reason - Posted by Robert
Posted by Robert on May 29, 2000 at 21:36:12:
The lady’s letter was interesting but I think I detected her real reason for being so negative. It is to keep you from buying the house she was renting probably because she does not like the landlord.
Robert, Master Property Manager
Re: Avoid eastern NC?? - Posted by LeonNC
Posted by LeonNC on May 29, 2000 at 18:51:50:
Well Donna actually all of us here in North Carolina are a bunch of beer drinking, race car loving, non-educated red necks that bring sony walkmans to church on Sunday so that we can listen to the race. So if I were you I definetely would not want to move here either. Just Kidding!
I’m originally from California and moved to the Charlotte area of North Carolina about seven years ago. It seems like the price of housing has gone up so much that many of the newer homes are being bought by people from out of state who can afford them. I really don’t know much about the east part of the state exept that I’ll be there the end of next month at Hilton Head for a week laying in the sun reading books.
As for the schools here I’ll tell you they are a lot tougher than when I was in school. I have a seven year old who just graduated the second grade. These kids have already learned to add, subtract, multiply up to 10, and divide up to 100. Not all of them passed the division yet but I can tell you these kids have homework every night, write reports regularly, and are constantly testing. I’m not concerned that my child is not learning enough…I’m concerned the schools are pushing too hard.
I’m not exactly sure how it works but I do know that kids in our area will now be required to take an comprehensive end of the year test. If they do not pass that sucker they go to summer school. I’m not sure if this is throughout the state or not.
I just thought I’d let you know how it is in the South Western part of the state. If you want your kids to go to school here you better pack em a good lunch and be ready to spend hours doing homework every night. Good Luck in your decision to move to the Carolina’s.
LeonNC
Re: Avoid eastern NC?? - Posted by Erikka
Posted by Erikka on May 28, 2000 at 19:07:42:
Donna,
I am not an expert of Eastern NC, even tho I have lived there and a couple of other places in NC over the years. After reading your post a couple of questions: if this town is so bad why did she live there for so long? Do you have school age children?
Why this town if you are so far away? Family close? warm weather? just a good RE deal?
I would try to get down to the town and check it out, as well as seeing if the town, county, have a web site, Chamber of Commerce. Find a realtor that knows the area and ask them about the neighborhood, town… they will know what is going on.
I went to school there, I have cousins that were HS age when they moved to a small Eastern town in NC from Ohio, they loved it, they made great friends and even ended up going to college in Wilmington. So I think it is what you make of it no matter where live.
So do a little more reseach and make a decision on your own. Good luck
Okay…it this about RE investing? - Posted by bill
Posted by bill on May 28, 2000 at 15:30:38:
Donna:
How many times can you post about this? This is about RE investing…
Since you’re a self-proclaimed expert in offshore trust and telling everyone else about what to do with their investment money and taxes, why do you need our help with a single family residence???
bill
WAS…but she got it sold in 5 days…HOW, I have NO clue… - Posted by Donna
Posted by Donna on May 30, 2000 at 11:42:06:
since the market in the area can take up to 6 months!! She has a “perfect” house that needs NO work, and has a veiw of the river behind her house (I read that as flood zone, LOL). Whereas the house I’m looking at is a block away and on opposite side of street. She sold it quick I must say.
I’m going for the other house I think.
Donna
You won’t find Hilton Head in Eastern NC - Posted by Dave T
Posted by Dave T on May 29, 2000 at 23:36:10:
Hilton Head is in SC, below Charleston, and about a seven hour drive from Charlotte.
If you really are going to eastern NC on your way to Hilton Head, you are making quite a detour.
I’m NOT an expert at this…THAT’S why… - Posted by Donna
Posted by Donna on May 28, 2000 at 15:40:56:
And I NEVER proclaim to be an expert at anything, Bill. And even if I DID, why should that mean I’m an expert at real estate??
Sorry if I’ve overstepped my bounds here…but I DO need assistance, and although I’ve finished up with the investing part of the equation, I DO want to know why anyone would invest in real estate in an area of distress or similar. I DID post that question and got ONE reply.
SORRY I’ve tried to become a part of your board.
Donna
about NC - Posted by MilNC
Posted by MilNC on May 30, 2000 at 17:02:24:
Dear Donna,
I have heard that the highest percentage of people
moving to NC are from NY. They are moving to Charlotte,
mainly. Charlotte has NASCAR-and I’ll bet that’s not the reason, big banks, Queens College, U of NC/Charlotte, a colliseum, visits by
the Rolling Stones, and other groups.
Winston Salem (along I-40), central, has Wake Forrest.
Greensboro is right next to it, nice, Large town, with lots of contiguous rural areas. Then there is the huge area of Duke U,(Durham) med center,
med dental law and vet schools at either or both Duke and UNC/
Chapel Hill, close to each other and not too far is
the huge major biotec area of Research Triangle Park, with Raleigh
and Cary nearby.
Much more east of RTP it thins out. The terrain is
flatter, floods more, there are long stretches
between towns, and more distance between major towns, (noe from Raleigh to the coast) lots of hog farms, and its’ a long
bleak stretch to the coast, which has tourism and East
carolina U. The flooding after HurricaneFloyd was all
east of I-95.
I think you might tell a little about a town based on
what stores they have–what types of major chains.
Or other services-I couldn’t get Prodigy or AOL in my
town until recently. Just got Circuit City last year.So if you take something for granted, check it out
on the web and see if they have it there.
Transportation is lacking. There is no east west railroad, though they have plans . Charlotte is just
now thinking about a rail line from the N end to the
S end, and yet for ex, you’ve been able to go from
Pompano Beach FL to Miami on a fast train, for over a decade.
Other things that professionals may do: for example,
there is no Toastmaster’s Int’l meeting within 40 miles
in any direction of me, but over 15 clubs in Charlotte.
Stuff like that you could check on the internet.
Same with Bed and Breakfasts. Not too many of those around hog farms anymore.
Western NC is great. Depends what you like.
NC has a lot of factory towns, and it takes more
economic analysis than I am currently capable of to know how to
play those ups and downs and NAFTA or whatever makes
local economies tick.
I was struck when I moved to a small town for a job,
how few apartments there were. Maybe because the whole
state is rural, more people live in mobile homes (I think NC is third in country in # of MH, behind AZ and
FL)
Maybe the lady who sold her house in 5 days read the book “How to Sell Your House in 5 Days”. It’s a good book.
Maybe she stayed so long because she is older and
doens’t know where to move to (one’s needs change).
I met a woman in her 80’s from CA who moved here to be on the rail
line so as to visit family in PA. retired, so less
concern about NC state income tax, but they tax pensions. (my info is dated, though; I guess you can check it on the web).
Let me know if you want more. I don’t know much, but
might run across something.
So, what about those off shore trusts??
Ann