Moving to NC

[fishfood]

Howdy OBX guys,

My wife and I (married in September) decided to move south for a few years while we're still relatively young and carefree, and are heading down to the outerbanks over thanksgiving weekend to scout around and see what areas we might like.

I've been trudging thru pages of google "real esate' sites that pop up when I try to learn more about the area, but figured I'd try my fellow SOLer's to see if I could get any useful first hand information.

I'll leave the question relatively open, since our search is still pretty broad at this point. If you were 28, a newlywed, loved the ocean and loved fishing, and were moving into that area to just relax and enjoy life for a few years, what town would you head to?

Thanks in advance for any input.

-Mike

[kw]

My vote would be Hatteras or Morehead city. Maybe you could get a job mating on a charter boat?

You didn't mention what you do for a living, but if you try the northern beaches (KDH, KH, Nags Head), Colington Harbour used to have reasonable rates for year round residents. You might try contacting Richard Baer. He (used to) run a property management company down there called "Baer's Cottages". I think he owns the stop & shop at the corner of bay drive and the beach road in KDH.

[EricF]

One with a job? Do you have work or gonna scrape out a living somewhere here? Or do you not need to work already at 28...if so, please tell me the secret. Personally, I don't care much for the desolation of the OBX area...grew up in coastal NC, but only went there a few times. I do however love Beaufort/Morehead City area. Here, we have to offer:
-Alot of other folks from up north (my wife one of them)
-Cape Lookout and the shoals
-Core Banks
-Shackleford Banks
-We got ponies too
-All kinds of 'backwater'
-Waterfowl
-Access to the stream...marlin/tuna/dolphin/wahoo/sailfish...within a hour to two depending on boat speed.
-Access to civilization when you need some.
-Numerous 'anchoring zones' for weekend boat rides...pick one depending on wind direction and speed...and of course 'designation', whether you are a Dingbatter, DitDot, or local...we all tend to group together amongst our own kind, so you'll never really fit in...it's okay, it's normal.
-For smallboat fishing, you're never really 'blown out' by any wind direction...always a spot that can work on any wind...except hurricane force of course.

To me, there is no better place for the outdoorsman than right here...and I've lived in CA/NJ/PA/MA/TN/MD/VA and spent three years in and out of the Carib...this is the best spot by far.

[jeepcreep]

i wonder why south.....

from a striper fishing point of view.....go north.

maine for less urban suroundings, access to good striper water. and the opportunity to hone useful skills whereever you settle. Stripers on the Fly, surfcasting and......canada.

boston, for an urban setting, trips to Rhody, or anwhere in the hotbed. the harbah, and other opportunities.

the end migration towns that offer good striper fishing are kinda desolate, as mentioned in this thread before.

the towns around the chesapeake, are for the most part pretty lousy. Annapolis is pretty fun. if i had to move again locally that's probably where i'd go.

I was you about 4 years ago, except i was 22. moved for work. Never again. you've got to live where you want to live, not where's best for your career.

lets not forget delaware, i was born there, great fishing. great people. i'll be moving back there this year. google search edgar allen poe's curse on newark, De. thats all i've got to say.

[Dave588]

Nags Head. You may have to find a job framing houses, cleaning rental cottages or selling plastic beach crap. Lot of open beach areas most of the year. Not too bad in winter time. Worse thing is finding housing but it's easier now than in May.

[jellybear]

Eric is right.One winter on the Outer Banks and you and your newly wed bride will be at each others throats.

[kip]

Whatever you decide to do and where ever you decide to go, it will be difficult finding a good paying job, unless you have a profession that is highly marketable, i.e. doctor, nurse, or some crucial shortage type of profession. If you don't, then there are lots of low paying, mostly based upon tourism, type of jobs, and many of these people collect unemployment during the "off" season.

With that said, I would also echo Erik's sentiments about the Morehead City area. My wife and I looked at both Buxton/Avon and MC and MC won out, mostly because it was closer to Raleigh (we built a house here and then moved down from Raleigh after the kids finished college). I preferred the northern OBX for the surf fishing, but it was much closer to Raleigh at the time (now it takes about the same time to get to MC or Nags Head).

We love the off season when the tourists have returned home and everything is much less crowded. The fishing to me is better in the northern OBX, and down here (SOBX) a boat is almost a necessity. There are some good places to fish, however access is a problem, and we don't get as many of the big fish species (in particular stripers).

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to PM me. One last note, real estate prices, while they have come down somewhat< are ridiculously high in both areas........ Good luck!

[Tall Paul]

I'm with both Kip and EricF, the OBX are better for surf fishing but MHC is better all around job, housing, and mental heath wise. On the Outer Banks you can get cut off from the world with one good storm.

[fishfood]

Thanks all….this is helpful stuff. We will have to check out the Morehead City area when we are down there in a few weeks.
Mate on a charter boat is the plan. I’ve been a software programmer for 5 ½ years. It pays the bills, but I can’t take too much more of spending 8 hours staring at a computer screen. So I’m taking a shot at a dream. Keep my mouth shut and ears open for a few years… learn everything I can , and go from there. Not sure how tough it is to break into that scene, but I’ve worked plenty of other jobs from masonry to cooking to bartending, and will do what I have to for the first few months. Wife is in the same boat; tired of what she was doing..trying to find something she actually enjoys. So an area with access to both charter fleets and a bit of civilization would be perfect.
We have no idea how long we’ll end up staying , so we’ll be renting at least the first year, so housing costs isn’t a concern at this point.

[EricF]

PM me when you're ready to make the move. I have contacts at several marinas, I captain a custom 50ft sporty out of Old Town Yacht Club (not mine, I keep it and run it, all private, no charter), and know a person or two here and there. I'd be happy to let you tag along on a trip or two and hook you up with my mate....he's stellar in the cockpit!! He knows more sportfishing folks than I do!! I live in Beaufort...work in Wrightsville Beach. Be aware though, that even mating on sportfishers around here is very very competative...they're all working their way up to be the captain and it can be very cutthroat at times. Wages are a little skimpy around here as well...be prepared...do your homework. And, of course, Good Luck!! I'll be more than happy to help you out any way I can....just drop me a note.

Ps: My brother is a 'bigshot of something' in Raleigh doing software implementation....he has a gaggle of folks working for him there....so if all else fails, he might be able to hook you up with someone in relatively the same field you're in now.

[hamlet]

Another thing to think about is Manteo. Living on Roanoke Island can be cheaper than Nags Head directly, but it is still on the sound. Nice striper fishin (for NC parameters) at the bridge from the mainland to Roanoke Island.

Harkers Island is another idea if you dont want "city". Great red fishing behind the banks, and a short hop to Cape Lookout. About 40 mins by car to Beaufort/Moorehead City. Not sure what the house prices are there but most NC areas have a great disparity between prices for waterfront vs. close-to-water-but-not-on-it.

Problem with all these areas other than city (Wilmington, Moorhead) are that the areas tend to be fairly depressed and bleak if you are not in the high-rent vacation areas.

[fishfood]

good stuff everyone. sincere thanks for taking the time to reply. I think we have a good idea of some areas to check out; I'll check back after we visit in two weeks.

EricF, you're good people. Thanks for the giving us a "connection" down there. Love that southern hospitality.. I'll be in touch when the time comes.

Cheers all...

-Mike & Crystal

[kw]

One last suggestion....

Make sure you're totally out of debt before making your move.

Don't ask me how I know....

[longcaster]

The wife & I retired to Southern Shores 2 1/2 yrs ago. It is between Kitty Hawk and Duck, our house is back in the big tree woods backing up to Duck Wood country club. We are in no danger of flooding or high wind. It is very quiet here in February-March. From what we see and hear since the mortgage problems started housing type jobs are scarce. Service jobs are few in the off season.

Lots of folks are or have tried to do what you and your wife are wanting to do. The housing here is expensive even for rentals, unless you like a 20yr old trailer. To get started it is not cheap, in this area. On Hatteras island housing is just a bit less, and in the winter there is a whole lot less civilization type stuff also.

The others are right, look south of here, there is more to do in the winter, which will make living better. Plus the weather is warmer.

You are young, buy a trailer on a lot to use on weekends, and work in a city like Raleigh. It is better to have money, and no time to spend it; than little money and no time to enjoy it.

[FishLipz]

If I had a couple of years to kill (and some money) I'd move to Ocracoke Island. The island is full of folks who just moved there for a "couple years" 20-30 years ago