East Coast of America?? | ExpatWoman.com
 

East Coast of America??

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 20:56

Advice from anyone out there from America or who have lived there - If you had the choice to live anywhere on the east coast of America where would you choose and why?
<em>edited by pet-partner on 30/01/2011</em>

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 22:05
What would be considered a decent annual or monthly salary in the states?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 17:22
New Hampshire does not have income tax either, nor do they have sales tax. New England is considered to be Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, mane and Rhode Island. I think something you are not mentioning is living in and or near a city which has an international feeling to it and will be more comfortable after Dubai. Suburban areas around bNew York City can be great, and there are some beautiful small towns on the Hudson River (Westchester County Dobs Ferry, Hastings, Irvington, Tarrytown), which still gives you city access for entertainment but not the expense and hassle of living in it. Also lots of nice pleasant towns in New Jersey (Madison comes to mind) Long Island also has some nice suburban communities. There is also a website called great schools where you can look up different areas and look at the ratings of the schools. I would also suggest realtor.com to look at housing prices for what you want in various areas, for renting and buying. Schools in US are public funded and free, unless you choose another type of school. <em>edited by sdali on 01/02/2011</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 17:08
I'd go for North Carolina - it's beautiful there and you do get a change of seasons but without extremes!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 16:44
A good friend lives in Raleigh/Cary, North Carolina area, which is called the Research Triangle area. The tech industry there plus a number of really good universities draw a diverse crowd from all over the US, which gives the area some of the advantages of living in an urban area (e.g., great cultural opportunities) without the disadvantages (e.g., crowding). She works in the Cary school system and speaks very highly of it. NC has lots of outdoor activities, as you have the mountains and the coast, and in areas such as Asheville and near there you get a little bit of a hippie/artsy vibe. I would love to live there!
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 15:37
Seems like NC and VA are the top suggestions - does NC have high income taxes? Excuse the ignorance but where exactly is new england? Florida is the only state on the East Coast with no state income tax and doesn't get bitter cold in the winter. New England in general are the north-easternmost states. You'll want to avoid those if you aren't interested in cold winters w/ lots of snow (though they have absolutely amazing seasonal weather/climate...beautiful Spring and Fall).
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 15:31
Seems like NC and VA are the top suggestions - does NC have high income taxes? Excuse the ignorance but where exactly is new england?
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 20:41
I'd second a poster who suggested North Carolina or Southern VA........beautiful countryside, lots of history, good schools, lots of local speciality shops, especially in university towns, like Raleigh or Greensboro........not as cold as New England and still bearable in summer (especially after Dubai) We had to have long long debates about our forever home, DH really really wanted VA - I was nearly won over by NC but Cyprus finally won out quite simply because we could move there sooner ie before retirement and DH could commute.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 20:31
Basically we are not too fussy - we have bothed lived in Johannesburg all our lives and now Dubai for the past 10 years so used to city life although really not opposed to a more quiet lifestyle for a while. We would both appreciate four seasons for a change and especially not severe heat like here but also neither of us has ever lived in freezing conditions so not sure how we will cope in minus conditions! Not opposed to it really!. Beach is always attractive but not a must. Basically we just want somewhere where our yougest of three can start school in a good school, preferably not too expensive as money is always an issue and we dont want to spend too much but still get a good school. I want somewhere my kids can go outdoors and appreciate a lifestyle different from Dubai. We dont want clicky we want somewhere family oriented where we and the kids will be able to make friends easily. We dont want expensive or stylish just comfortable and reasonable. We would love houses the size of the springs/al reems in size not much smaller if possible and definitely a house not an apartment. We know what we dont want but other than that are not so fussy really.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 12:36
Washington DC! Lived there for years and loved it! It is big enough to be vibrant, interesting, and cosmopolitan, but small enough so you don't feel swallowed up! Of course it depends on where you leave, but great quality of life, some great schools, interesting people, great eateries, all sorts of events... I could on and on! Second this vote 100%. Grew up in Washington (not the suburbs) and if you can swing it....its the best and I'd go back anyday. Went to school in New England as well...and agree with Tallybalt that its also a great option...but I cannot STAND the winters up there.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 11:51
Eden Prairie, MN Columbia/Ellicott City, MD Newton, MA Bellevue, WA McKinney, TX See the top 100 Fort Collins, CO Overland Park, KS Fishers, IN Ames, IA Rogers, AR Apparently these are the top 10 places to live in the states with family! Can the Americans on here say out of these which ones really are good places? Although, I'm from Texas (where my parents settled last) I grew up in Columbia, Maryland and it was fantastic. I always think that I'm doing my son an injustice by not raising him there. The schools are good, the community is tight, and the quality of jobs+benefits are good too. I grew up in a very diverse and academically wealthy school system and I had opportunities in high school that most college students don't get. I really feel that my education was far better than my younger sisters (who went to school in Houston). Columbia itself is a very pretty town, and very friendly. I can't speak highly enough!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 10:49
There's no place to "avoid" unless we're talking about places like Camden, New Jersey. What kind of place do you want to live in? Do you want a big city? A small historic town? Rural or urban? Suburban? New suburban/exurban with large new houses or older closer-suburbs with historic older houses? Do you want arts and culture or do you want to go skiing and hiking every weekend? Do you want year-round sun or do you enjoy four seasons? Are good public schools a must or are you happy with private schools? Come up with a list of the features you want and then it'll be easier for us to recommend places to live rather than relying on random "top 10" lists issued by generic magazines. Thanks Tallybalt, so on the list are there places that are better than others or any to particularly avoid? edited by jwal on 31/01/2011
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 10:38
Really? No one's mentioned Philadelphia? Okay technically not on the coast, but oh so close. I'm a Philly girl originally, and still think it's one of the greatest cities! Worth a look...
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 10:36
These cities are also low on crime but are usually close to a major city. I think you will get snow in all of the cities since McKinney, Tx is close to Dallas and they do get snow. I have a sister in Eden Prairie with 2 kids and they love it! Schools are great and very family oriented next to St Paul and Minneapolis. Love the 4 seasons! I could never deal with the snow - but hey some think we are crazy to live in the heat!
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EW GURU
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 10:21
Being from New York I have seen most of my family and friends move out of state over the past 8 years. It just got too expensive. They are now scattered all over the US and many moved to some of the areas mentioned in Money magzine as the best places to live. I would say most were happy with colorado. HOWEVER even though it seems miniscule the weather there (and altitude in some parts) needs o be highly considered. Can you handle heavy snow and driving thru it? It can be a huge hindrince if you can't. Other places in Colorado are Grand Junction, Colorado Springs also. I am no sure about Fort Collins, Texas but I know uite a few who moved o Dallas and did regret it. ughh, my keyboard keeps getting stuck be back
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 10:19
Thanks Tallybalt, so on the list are there places that are better than others or any to particularly avoid? <em>edited by jwal on 31/01/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 09:57
Most of them have in common in that they are very suburban, family centric places. Good schools, good chain retail and chain restaurants, usually good park and public facilities. But other than Newton I would find most of these places uninteresting and only worthwhile if you are looking for a large single family colonial on a large lot in a good public school district. Eden Prairie, MN Columbia/Ellicott City, MD Newton, MA Bellevue, WA McKinney, TX See the top 100 Fort Collins, CO Overland Park, KS Fishers, IN Ames, IA Rogers, AR Apparently these are the top 10 places to live in the states with family! Can the Americans on here say out of these which ones really are good places?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 09:44
New England is one of my fav places and Syracuse, New York state.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 09:42
Eden Prairie, MN Columbia/Ellicott City, MD Newton, MA Bellevue, WA McKinney, TX See the top 100 Fort Collins, CO Overland Park, KS Fishers, IN Ames, IA Rogers, AR Apparently these are the top 10 places to live in the states with family! Can the Americans on here say out of these which ones really are good places?
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EW GURU
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 08:55
I'm from Maryland, DH is from Washington, DC, and we both went to college in Rhode Island. New England is lovely and offers a high quality of life but the main metro areas (Boston, the CT suburbs of New York and even Providence) are very expensive for housing and the winters are long, long and [i'>long[/i'>. The cities in the cheaper parts of New England are not particularly attractive places. I loved both Providence and Boston but if we were to return to the States and had a choice of anywhere we wanted to live on the East Coast and weren't restricted by family ties in the Maryland/DC vicinity, I would look at North Carolina. The weather is wonderful and the summers, while hot, aren't too bad. The cost of living in places like Raleigh, Charlotte and Chapel Hill aren't too high and the lifestyle is generally easier and less hectic than up north. But if money was absolutely no objective, Charleston would be a fabulous place to live. It's one of my favorite little cities in the US, a wonderful historic downtown and the proximity of the marshes and rivers of the lowcountry, along with wonderful beaches, makes this a great place to live. The only downsides are that cost of housing in the nice parts of Charleston is quite high and the public schools can be a hit or miss, but the private schools are generally good. I am not the biggest fan of Washington even though that's where we lived before coming out to Dubai. It's very expensive and if you have a family odds are you will be living the regular suburban lifestyle miles outside the city. If you do have the resources than the older suburbs like Chevy Chase and in town neighborhoods in NW Washington are wonderful places to live, but you will pay for it. That said, the cosmopolity and diversity of Washington are attractive features of the place.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 00:18
St Augustine, Florida .... Love it!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 23:47
Newsweek/Time other outlets are regularly profiling top 10 places to live for families, try a little Googling and I'm sure you'll find a list or two to get some ideas....
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EW GURU
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 23:21
Charleston? Does it have to be east coast ? I think the American west is lovely....Scottsdale ? Colorado Springs? San Fransico
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EW GURU
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 23:16
I would recommend North Carolina or Virgina. DH is from FL and their economy is really struggling right now and their education budgets are struggling to provide for their schools. We lived in Savannah, GA and while it is picturesque the crime there is terrible. Their schools are still under court order desegration and the politics in that town can be awful. VA has some excellent schools and there is a lot to do in VA especially with it being so close to DC. NC is beautiful and has great schools both elementary and college level.
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 23:00
Miami! :D
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 22:59
Not sure what we want really - Not used to cold weather ! we want really - clueless as to whats available seeing as though neither of us has been to the states much. Company offered a post anywhere we want. Have two kids one 3 year old and a baby so will need a school for the 3 year old, used to warmer weather but thats not everything. Just looking for a great place to live with a new family thats not Dubai!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 22:20
Washington DC! Lived there for years and loved it! It is big enough to be vibrant, interesting, and cosmopolitan, but small enough so you don't feel swallowed up! Of course it depends on where you leave, but great quality of life, some great schools, interesting people, great eateries, all sorts of events... I could on and on!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 21:47
The beach in Rhode Island. Its beautiful and hopping from May to September and the other months its beautiful and empty... Parents had a house there once upon a time...
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EW GURU
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 21:12
New York !!! but if you are looking for something completely different i recommend Savannah, GA what are your interests?
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 21:03
NYC - without a doubt. ..... Miss it most days. If you want more rural, rhode island s beautiful, .....and then there s Boston, hellishly cold in winter... Actually anywhere up the coast b/w NYC and Boston...conneticut is wonderful as well, and the train is pretty good.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 30 January 2011 - 21:00
Rhode Island. No reason.. Just looks like a great place.
 
 

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