Why We Wanted to Leave NYC

Hiya Folks!


Matt and I are both from the northeast and have been living in Charlotte, NC, for three years now. I’m originally from New York City and Matt grew up in New Jersey. We’ve been hitched for a bit over 7 years and have always wanted to live somewhere outside of the NY/NJ metro region. Our most compelling reason for leaving was primarily cost. The thought of continuing to pay $10,000 property taxes for a $500,000 house with a property the size of a postage stamp got us increasingly livid.


To boot, we were commuting into Manhattan on a daily basis--and being subjected to the constant horrors of the train system, and the expense of it all. Then there’s the frigid winters to contend with! And there’s truly nothing like trying to contend with slush in the gutter as you’re trying to cross 14th Street and 7th Avenue while the bus is whizzing by and splashing you with that grey sloppy mess.


“Enough!” we said! There’s got to be a better way…a better place! And that’s when our adventures started.First off, you’ve got to get over the fact that you’re dumping your family and friends behind. Yes, there’s those of you that will try to convince others to run with you because you’re horribly scared to leave behind everyone and everything you know. There’s safety in packs! Heck, that means there’s not an inch of Christopher Columbus or Leaf Erickson in you! Going beyond a 10-block radius outside of your current living quarters gives you the willies. You probably live in Wayne, NJ, and moan whenever someone suggests dinner and a night into Manhattan. “Waah…that’s too far,” you whine. “There’s lots of traffic on the bridge!…Where will I park my car?….I can get mugged!….Waah!”


Well, this blog is for folks all around the country who have the chutzpa to ditch every thing and every one they know and make a bold move to somewhere new! In this case, we’re talking Charlotte, NC! Where it seems that everyone from NJ, NY, FL and CA wants to be these days.
We’ll tell you exactly why we came, how we did it, and what life is truly like for an out-of-stater in Charlotte. We’ll scoop you on what’s first-rate, what’s dreadful and why we’re still happy we made the decision to leave the madness of the northeast behind for a more civilized life in the south.


Sweet tea, anyone?


Lisa