Anyone live near Asheville/Hendersonville? (1 Viewer)

[lombardi]

My families nomadic wanderings are coming to an end. After spending a majority of the last 3 years travelling around in our RV, my oldest son is approaching his high school years and we're looking to settle. We decided on NC because of the in-state tuition/good school choices, proximity to our family in NJ (both close enough and far enough away ), and we've always liked the area and pace of life. We spent the last few months in Wilmington, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Asheville. After this last month in Asheville we've decided to extend another month and I think we're pretty close to a decision to move here. There is still a small possibility of returning to NJ but I would guess it's more like 80/20 we're going to move to this WNC area.

The area is amazing, everyplace you go is like driving through a postcard. People are nice, we love the outdoors. If it wasn't 5 hours from the nearest beach it would be perfect :(

Does anyone live in this area? We LOVE Ashevile but I don't know if I want my kids going to the city high school. So I was thinking of a place in the outskirts. We've spent time in Black Mountain, Waynesville, Hendersonville, and the smaller cities surrounding those areas. My wife really likes Hendersonville a lot and we found a church there that looks like it's in our wheelhouse. I wanted to be a little closer to Asheville and was thinking maybe Fletcher/Arden and I'm between both, but Hendersonville High School is ranked 4th in the state and seems like a pretty good school. There is a great small town main street, it seems pretty quiet, and it gets rural really quick as you move away from downtown. I'm just worried it's too quiet and I'll want to be in Asheville all the time.

Anyone else live in these areas, any insight to offer about these areas for a family with elementary through high school kids?

 

[NCCommish]

Well I'm a Charlottean which doesn't help but I have heard good things about Hendersonville. My understanding is it is very small town. For me personally I think Asheville would be the choice, wife loves it as well. But if I had kids to consider you could do a lot worse than Hendersonville.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

Asheville and Hendersonville would seem to me to be very different from one another, with really the only upside (imo) of Hendersonville is being that much closer to family in NJ.

 

[simey]

I like Hendersonville a lot. I also like Brevard, which is about 37 minutes from Asheville. Hendersonville is bigger, has more shopping and amenities, and is closer to Asheville than Brevard, but Brevard is more beautiful and quaint, and offers more mountainous recreation such as hiking. They both have charming downtowns. Are city schools that bad in Asheville to not just live there since that is where you want to be?

 

[Slapdash]

Live in Charlotte, wish I lived in Asheville.

I know Kilgore Trout and Mon are up there. Not sure where Bass-N-Brew stays, but he has made it sound like he was up that way IIRC. Maybe shoot those guys a PM.

 

[NCCommish]

Live in Charlotte, wish I lived in Asheville.

I know Kilgore Trout and Mon are up there. Not sure where Bass-N-Brew stays, but he has made it sound like he was up that way IIRC. Maybe shoot those guys a PM.

I think Bass is on the Lake still.

 

[simey]

Live in Charlotte, wish I lived in Asheville.

I know Kilgore Trout and Mon are up there. Not sure where Bass-N-Brew stays, but he has made it sound like he was up that way IIRC. Maybe shoot those guys a PM.

I think BNBs mountain place is around the Banner Elk area.

 

[lombardi]

We really liked Charlotte, there was a really nice neighborhood we were looking at in South Charlotte right near a really long green belt. Can't remember the name of it. We were considering Charlotte but the mountains up here have really lured us in. So many things we really love to do are so available right in our back yard up here.

If it were just my wife and I we would probably just live in Asheville but for the family I just don't think I want to live in the city (even though it's not that big of a city).

Well I'm a Charlottean which doesn't help but I have heard good things about Hendersonville. My understanding is it is very small town. For me personally I think Asheville would be the choice, wife loves it as well. But if I had kids to consider you could do a lot worse than Hendersonville.

 

[NCCommish]

We really liked Charlotte, there was a really nice neighborhood we were looking at in South Charlotte right near a really long green belt. Can't remember the name of it. We were considering Charlotte but the mountains up here have really lured us in. So many things we really love to do are so available right in our back yard up here.

If it were just my wife and I we would probably just live in Asheville but for the family I just don't think I want to live in the city (even though it's not that big of a city).

Well I'm a Charlottean which doesn't help but I have heard good things about Hendersonville. My understanding is it is very small town. For me personally I think Asheville would be the choice, wife loves it as well. But if I had kids to consider you could do a lot worse than Hendersonville.

We have talked about moving up that way when we retire. We both really enjoy the mountains.

 

[lombardi]

Asheville and Hendersonville would seem to me to be very different from one another, with really the only upside (imo) of Hendersonville is being that much closer to family in NJ.

The hope is that we get the benefit of the small town with Hendersonville but we're only a 25 minute ride away from Asheville to play. I actually liked being closer to the SMNP in Waynesville but I got more of an adult vibe up there and more of a family vibe in Hendersonville. All of these suppositions are based on a couple day visit, it's not easy judging a place that quickly when you're considering a move. I would like to just spend a few months up here before I decide and we may do just that. But I would hate to start my son in one high school and then six months to a year later move him to another. So we're trying to make our best decision now and see what happens.

 

[lombardi]

We just spent the last

I like Hendersonville a lot. I also like Brevard, which is about 37 minutes from Asheville. Hendersonville is bigger, has more shopping and amenities, and is closer to Asheville than Brevard, but Brevard is more beautiful and quaint, and offers more mountainous recreation such as hiking. They both have charming downtowns. Are city schools that bad in Asheville to not just live there since that is where you want to be?

We just spent some of the weekend in Brevard hiking out to the falls (oh and visiting the ER after my nephew took a header on a hiking trail, surprisingly not at the actual falls). It was gorgeous. I think the only reason we ruled Brevard out was that it was a little bit too far form Asheville and the NP. They seemed very similar, Brevard and Hendersonville, from an outsiders point of view. Brevard seems maybe a little more rural but probably a little more scenic.

I don't think the Asheville school or surrounding schools are that bad. I just like smaller schools, smaller towns for raising kids. It's easier to have your finger on the pulse of what's going on, get involved, be a part of things than it is in a larger population area. From what I've read there are more issues in the city school but it's not like it's in the middle of a metropolitan city. I wouldn't completely rule it out, we actually considered a neighborhood in the TC Roberson boundaries.

 

[The Commish]

I grew up there (insert jokes about schools here). Two school systems you'd want to be in are the AC Reynolds system or the TC Roberson system. That said, it's hard to get a "bad" school system up there sans the actual city school (Asheville High School). My mother taught in that system for 20+ years....wasn't so good. Hendersonville is a "good ole boy" kinda town. Endearing to some, annoying to others. It's an old fashion town for sure. Hendersonville High School or West Henderson probably being the better schools there.

 

[[icon]]

Out of curiosity.. how is the real estate / job market in Asheville and the surrounding area?

 

[Slapdash]

Live in Charlotte, wish I lived in Asheville.

I know Kilgore Trout and Mon are up there. Not sure where Bass-N-Brew stays, but he has made it sound like he was up that way IIRC. Maybe shoot those guys a PM.

I think BNBs mountain place is around the Banner Elk area.

Live in Charlotte, wish I lived in Asheville.

I know Kilgore Trout and Mon are up there. Not sure where Bass-N-Brew stays, but he has made it sound like he was up that way IIRC. Maybe shoot those guys a PM.

I think Bass is on the Lake still.

Ah, two houses makes more sense!

 

[BassNBrew]

Out of curiosity.. how is the real estate / job market in Asheville and the surrounding area?

Real estate market is hot, job market not. Not a good combo for people coming into the area.

 

[lombardi]

Everyone who you talk to about moving up here immediately asks "what do you do for a living"? They want to warn you how difficult it is finding a good job up here. Fortunately I have a job and work from home, and have for almost 14 years. I had a talk with my boss/friend before the move to ask how we were doing and if there were any big changes on the horizon that I should be aware of. Nothing in business is guaranteed but so far so good so I feel comfortable making the move.

Housing market may be hot but moving from NJ it still seems inexpensive. We're actually going to rent for a year or two and make sure we've made the right decision before buying a house. I have someone renting my house in NJ now while we were travelling, we'll continue to do that.

 

[The Commish]

Given everything you've said so far, I'd be looking in the Arden/Skyland/Avery's Creek/Fletcher area(s). They are 15-20 minutes from both Hendersonville and Asheville (proper) and have good schools. That's where I grew up. We were 20-30 minutes from everything but Airport Road has exploded and now my folks are 5 minutes from the things they would have to drive to Asheville for.

 

[Henry Ford]

My families nomadic wanderings are coming to an end. After spending a majority of the last 3 years travelling around in our RV, my oldest son is approaching his high school years and we're looking to settle.

You spent three years in an RV with a teenage boy? Were you (motor)home schooling?

 

[lombardi]

Given everything you've said so far, I'd be looking in the Arden/Skyland/Avery's Creek/Fletcher area(s). They are 15-20 minutes from both Hendersonville and Asheville (proper) and have good schools. That's where I grew up. We were 20-30 minutes from everything but Airport Road has exploded and now my folks are 5 minutes from the things they would have to drive to Asheville for.

Been looking in this area some. Seems close enough to Hendersonville and Asheville. Where do kids from these areas go to School? Looks like Fletcher goes to Hendersonville. Does Arden have it's own high school or do they go to Roberson?

 

[lombardi]

My families nomadic wanderings are coming to an end. After spending a majority of the last 3 years travelling around in our RV, my oldest son is approaching his high school years and we're looking to settle.

You spent three years in an RV with a teenage boy? Were you (motor)home schooling?

It has been my my wife and I and our 3 kids, my son going into high school is my oldest. We've been home schooling for 3 years.

Actually I did a long Q&A thread about it a while back...

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=699558&hl=

 

[BassNBrew]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

 

[The Commish]

Given everything you've said so far, I'd be looking in the Arden/Skyland/Avery's Creek/Fletcher area(s). They are 15-20 minutes from both Hendersonville and Asheville (proper) and have good schools. That's where I grew up. We were 20-30 minutes from everything but Airport Road has exploded and now my folks are 5 minutes from the things they would have to drive to Asheville for.

Been looking in this area some. Seems close enough to Hendersonville and Asheville. Where do kids from these areas go to School? Looks like Fletcher goes to Hendersonville. Does Arden have it's own high school or do they go to Roberson?

Fletcher is a pretty large area. Part is in Henderson County, part in Buncombe. Of course it's been 20+ years since I was in school up there, but just about everyone in Fletcher went to Roberson and the various elementary/middle schools that funneled in to it. Arden went to Roberson as well. Technically, our mailing address was Arden but we actually lived in Avery's Creek (off of 191).

 

[lombardi]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

These schools keep coming up as good options. I am looking into them now. Hendersonville popped up because it came up as #4 on US News and World for NC.

I did think it was an interesting comment on NC school systems that the #4 HS in the state was #748 nationally, yikes! Not too worried though. I want my kids to be at a safe school with good opportunities. We're pretty engaged and involved so our kids should be fine.

 

[YSR]

None of the above. The correct answer is an hour down the road in Greenville.

 

[NCCommish]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

These schools keep coming up as good options. I am looking into them now. Hendersonville popped up because it came up as #4 on US News and World for NC.

I did think it was an interesting comment on NC school systems that the #4 HS in the state was #748 nationally, yikes! Not too worried though. I want my kids to be at a safe school with good opportunities. We're pretty engaged and involved so our kids should be fine.

Well when you consider there are over 20k public high schools in the US that puts them in the top 4% or so.

 

[The Commish]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

These schools keep coming up as good options. I am looking into them now. Hendersonville popped up because it came up as #4 on US News and World for NC.

I did think it was an interesting comment on NC school systems that the #4 HS in the state was #748 nationally, yikes! Not too worried though. I want my kids to be at a safe school with good opportunities. We're pretty engaged and involved so our kids should be fine.

Hendersonville HS is a pretty good school. If I were moving to Hendersonville, that would be my priority. The other two are "ok", but nothing worth battling for.

 

[lombardi]

None of the above. The correct answer is an hour down the road in Greenville.

We actually thought about checking out some places in SC and TN. Besides being just that much further from our families (in NJ) we really like the fact that our kids will have in-state tuition rates available to them at all the UNC and NC State schools. The value is pretty awesome.

I was talking to someone about this recently though and they mentioned in SC that if you do well enough in school you get a free ride to SC state schools. I need to look into this. I really like the mountains up here but if that is true maybe we should check Greenville out.

Actually met a few people in Hendersonville who live in Greenville and come up for church.

 

[lombardi]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

These schools keep coming up as good options. I am looking into them now. Hendersonville popped up because it came up as #4 on US News and World for NC.

I did think it was an interesting comment on NC school systems that the #4 HS in the state was #748 nationally, yikes! Not too worried though. I want my kids to be at a safe school with good opportunities. We're pretty engaged and involved so our kids should be fine.

Well when you consider there are over 20k public high schools in the US that puts them in the top 4% or so.

Oh, it's definitely still very good and plenty good enough for what we're looking for. I just though it was interesting that there were almost 750 schools in the country with a higher rating than the 4th best rated school in the state (according to US News and World).

 

[lombardi]

Speaking strictly as a friend and not a professional, you should look in Reynolds and TC school districts. That would be east Asheville and West/Arden.

These schools keep coming up as good options. I am looking into them now. Hendersonville popped up because it came up as #4 on US News and World for NC.

I did think it was an interesting comment on NC school systems that the #4 HS in the state was #748 nationally, yikes! Not too worried though. I want my kids to be at a safe school with good opportunities. We're pretty engaged and involved so our kids should be fine.

Hendersonville HS is a pretty good school. If I were moving to Hendersonville, that would be my priority. The other two are "ok", but nothing worth battling for.

If we decide on Hendersonville over Asheville or elsewhere I would definitely make my rental and eventually purchase decision based on being in the HHS zone..

 

[Slapdash]

None of the above. The correct answer is an hour down the road in Greenville.

 

[NCCommish]

None of the above. The correct answer is an hour down the road in Greenville.

We actually thought about checking out some places in SC and TN. Besides being just that much further from our families (in NJ) we really like the fact that our kids will have in-state tuition rates available to them at all the UNC and NC State schools. The value is pretty awesome.

I was talking to someone about this recently though and they mentioned in SC that if you do well enough in school you get a free ride to SC state schools. I need to look into this. I really like the mountains up here but if that is true maybe we should check Greenville out.

Actually met a few people in Hendersonville who live in Greenville and come up for church.

Here is a link to LIFE scholarship program from Clemson. LIFE

As you can see it isn't full ride. But 5k is a lot.

 

[chauncey]

How would Asheville rank for a single guy in his 30's?

I'm looking to move back to NC in January after a decade out west, considering Raleigh, Charlotte (grew up there), and Asheville. Just finished a 2 week trip, spending a little time in each city and was very impressed with Raleigh and Asheville.

Any thoughts on these 3 different cities for someone looking to start from scratch in 2015?

(Not trying to hijack Lombardi, just figured people answering his question may have some insight on mine. And Lombardi how did the dental work turn out now that some time has passed?

 

[lombardi]

As an example, if my kids did well enough to get into UNC Chapel Hill

Undergrad tuition this past year was $13,280 a semester.

In state was $2,911 a semester.

College is 4 more years off and there are many other costs. But $6k a year tuition for UNC? Not too shabby.

Great value here and at all the UNC and NC State schools

 

[mon]

I've lived here in Asheville for a year now. Best decision I ever made. Well, second best, after deciding to retire early. You are correct in saying you'll want to be in Asheville all the time. Hendersonville will get pretty small pretty quick, especially if you're used to urban areas. And your kids won't be in school forever.

Anyway, welcome to the area! I'll be glad to help you get situated in any way I can. Let's grab a beer sometime.

 

[lombardi]

I've lived here in Asheville for a year now. Best decision I ever made. Well, second best, after deciding to retire early. You are correct in saying you'll want to be in Asheville all the time. Hendersonville will get pretty small pretty quick, especially if you're used to urban areas. And your kids won't be in school forever.

Anyway, welcome to the area! I'll be glad to help you get situated in any way I can. Let's grab a beer sometime.

Awesome! Where did you move from?

 

[mon]

I've lived here in Asheville for a year now. Best decision I ever made. Well, second best, after deciding to retire early. You are correct in saying you'll want to be in Asheville all the time. Hendersonville will get pretty small pretty quick, especially if you're used to urban areas. And your kids won't be in school forever.

Anyway, welcome to the area! I'll be glad to help you get situated in any way I can. Let's grab a beer sometime.

Awesome! Where did you move from?

Moved here from Texas, which is where I'm from originally, but I've lived all over. Seriously, I'm retired and I've got a lot of free time, so I'd be glad to help anyway I can.

 

[simey]

I'm looking to move back to NC in January after a decade out west, considering Raleigh, Charlotte (grew up there), and Asheville. Just finished a 2 week trip, spending a little time in each city and was very impressed with Raleigh and Asheville.

Any thoughts on these 3 different cities for someone looking to start from scratch in 2015?

I love Raleigh and Asheville.

 

[BassNBrew]

How would Asheville rank for a single guy in his 30's?

I'm looking to move back to NC in January after a decade out west, considering Raleigh, Charlotte (grew up there), and Asheville. Just finished a 2 week trip, spending a little time in each city and was very impressed with Raleigh and Asheville.

Any thoughts on these 3 different cities for someone looking to start from scratch in 2015?

(Not trying to hijack Lombardi, just figured people answering his question may have some insight on mine. And Lombardi how did the dental work turn out now that some time has passed?

Personally it wouldn't be my choice unless you are a hardcore outdoor person. In that event I would have to look at Denver or Boulder. The college students who aren't extremely liberal or gay flock to the east. Job opportunities aren't the best because everyone wants to move here. Cost of living is the highest in the state from what I've seen. Not knocking the area because if you're talking retirement or family years (and are well off), it's a great place to be. Just seems like the middle class is scarce around here.