Born and raised in Charlotte! It definitely has its highs and lows as any other city! Definitely thought about moving as I got older but I must admit I love Charlotte and it’s definitely changing!! Kinda excited to see how it goes. We’ll see!
I totally agree, charlottes housing market is CRAZY! I bought my home this past spring and I will say this, the beginning of the pandemic and the fear of the unknown was the best time to purchase.
@@LiaLavon girl I didn’t even prepare🤦🏽♀️.. I bought it because I was OVER my neighbors noise #impulsive buyer and I used my VA home loan so I had some perks
@@LDavis-je5iv How is the VA loan working for you? I’m definitely ready to use mine. I’m a Charlottean that came back home from the military for school. I’m giving the city to the transplants they can have it. Now I think we can use it to build granted there’s a shortage on materials it’s still in my thoughts!!
Don’t be fooled. Those houses under $200k in Atlanta will not have you in a good area. Idc what the house looks like. Your door might get kicked in, in the middle of the night. I live in a nice area on the outskirts of Atlanta. My rent for my apt is moderate. But the homes in this area go for $350k-$450k min.
Your the reason I come straight to the comment section, bringing the truth! Making any move requires serious thought and not just the good info , all the info. I'm from Miami, fl and when i tell people that they light up , until i bring the realities of my city/ state to life.
I'm glad you raised that point because I was saying the same thing. I wouldn't want to buy a house in Atlanta with that price. It's not so safe. However, North Carolina is better.
I’m from upstate New York. I’ve been living in Charlotte for 12 years now. Almost everyone I know is NOT from Charlotte lol. Everything you said is so true especially about the rent going up. So many new apartment complexes/homes being built everyday. The city definitely has grown over the years.
Charlotte prices has sky rocketed over the last 5yrs. 8yrs ago I moved to Charlotte 1bedroom apt 947sq ft rent $549! 3yrs later same apt is over $1100! Crazy. I'm from up north not New York. I feel that the more new Yorkers came to Charlotte the price just quadrupled
It’s true I born and raised here people from up north or west coast moving here and these living cost are disrespectful. I feel like mint hill or the east side is good pricing but that area is bad maintenance
$549 is insanely cheap for anywhere in the entire country. That wouldn't be that cheap anywhere now. $1100 a month is still a great price. Especially when you can get a brand new apartment in Uptown for that price be thankful for that price. You could be paying 1400 for an old apartment in a bad area.
Girl, you have no idea on how much your videos just bring such a smile to my face!! It’s almost like we’re having a “girl chat” having a fun time. Thank you so much for all that you do-give Winnie a big hug for me!! 🐶
she is correct about the public transportation... I lived there for 13 years.. rent is crazy!!! the job market is crazy. you have so many people applying for the same position. if you don't have a degree it will be extra hard. I did not struggle but I know many that did. and I watched the rental market go through the roof. when I got to Charlotte in 2006 my rent for a two bdrm apartment was less than $600... you can't even find a one bedroom today at that price!!!
Supply and demand. More people moving here creates demand. More amenities created higher pricing. Land costs more as the demand for space grows which creates higher taxes for property owners which must be paid by renters. More people moving here creates more wants and needs by citizens drives up costs for the city and therefore people must pay higher prices. This is why people move outside of Charlotte more and more.
Moved to Charlotte 5 years ago from the New York area.. On my way out!! Charlotte sucks.. No jobs!! No Jobs!! If you work in a call center Charlotte is the place for you. Call center capital!!! If your career is banking, maybe you will get a job.. Never had a problem finding a job until moving to Charlotte. College educated and still a struggle. Charlotte is hood.. The people in Charlotte want to be the next Atlanta.
Where are you trying to move to? Back to NY? Because I’m here now and I want out of NYC. Crime is steadily, the mentally ill and the homeless are roaming the streets in huge numbers, and the cost of living is even crazier with all of the gentrification.
SPOT ON. From Durham, NC and I lived in Charlotte for 5 years. The city taught me how to pay rent and made me grow up. But now, I’m moving to FL. Had to get the hell away!
Amen to that. you're not lying at all. I feel the same way, been here almost 12 yrs and as soon as I can get my hands on some money, I'm out on the next thing smoking.
No lies detected in this vid. I lived there for many years and have witnessed the changes (gentrification). Charlotte has been ridiculous for a few years now in my opinion.
Shout out to NC! Where my G’Boro people at? I’ve lived in ATL and now Dallas. Trust me when I say the transplant thing is happening in all the southern major cities. The biggest difference here in Texas is that we are getting flooded with Cali folks while the South East is getting flooded with NY people.
Won’t lie bro. I work remotely in tech on the west coast. Tons of my colleagues are moving to states like NC and Texas where it’s a bit cheaper and they can take their dollar a lot further. I considered NC, but I have family out here and we’re settled 😐 plus I lived in NC for 8 years before moving to the west and I loved it. Maybe it’ll happen in the future, but in the mean time - you can probably start planning to dish out more money for nearly everything. But you’ll also make more depending on what you do 😉 cheers bro!
This was so helpful! I'm born and raised in southern California and thinking about making the move to Charlotte. Thank you so much for giving the real, especially on the dating life 💕
Lia, thanks for doing this video! I just came across it now and thoroughly enjoyed it! I am also an N.C. native and from/still live in Lenoir which is in the foothills area of WNC between Boone and Hickory. I also wanted to let you and your viewers know that I have seen a few stores that will allow customers to buy alcohol on Sundays as early as 10am, but yeah, you're right saying that most retailers will not let you buy alcohol before noon on Sundays. As a former cashier clerk in retail, I would suggest asking the clerk at checkout what that stores' policy for buying alcohol on Sunday is. Keep up the good work!
I just moved from Charlotte last year and bought 2 acres of land in Denver NC, to build my forever house on and I love it here,( I'm a country ,small town kinda girl ) but I'm basically 30 minutes away from Charlotte,30 minutes from Gastonia, 38 minutes from Hickory ,close to Huntersville and Mooresville so I get the best of all the surrounding cities and towns. I enjoyed living in Charlotte for 15 years but I decided to settle down in my small town plus all of my family lives here in Lincoln county/ Denver area,and they all own land here as well,some racism but we know how to handle them😉😄💅
Educated, trilingual, DC native here. We're coming. We're coming to make Charlotte great. We're coming to bring money to your economy. We're bringing jobs. Education. Culture. Just hold on, we're coming.
I've lived in Raleigh for about 18 years after moving from rural Virginia. Raleigh was the perfect size for me and my daughter was born when I was in my early 20s. It was a great place to raise my daughter because the school system is great in Raleigh and the crime rate is reasonably low. Because I was a young parent, I didn't get the typical social/night life that most single people get to enjoy in their 20s. But when I did get a chance to go out, Raleigh isn't really a great city for nightlife, unless you are a college student. It's gotten better in the last few years but it's still way behind Charlotte in my opinion. I have family that lives in Charlotte and every time I go visit them there is always some good event to go to (pre-pandemic).
I’m from Bklyn NY and of course rents are not a comparison however because housing has skyrocketed the pay should also be increased. We won’t even start with the price of food.
I have a friend that live in Charlotte and did a quick visit when I went to my daughters MA graduation at Virginia Tech and it was the first time I had BOJANGLES, and whew it was delicious. I'm from Cali and we have no Bojangles.
I was just in Charlotte yesterday and honestly the city is just too small. It definitely looks modern and emerging. But its still a really small city with a lot less going on compared to other cities. If you're stuck on living in the South I would definitely recommend Atlanta over Charlotte.
We moved to NC in 2007 from TX. We bought a house in Charlotte in 2017, and Yes, it was crazy- and that was 4 years ago. I can’t even imagine how it is now.
I remember I was based in clt as a US airways flight attendant 2007-2010. I live off scaleybark. 5 mins from South Park mall. My rent for a big one bedroom was 750. With my electric, internet and water I paid 1000 max a month. I also lived in Dc after that for 2 years. It was madness. I’m from there so it was cool but I loved the transit. I hate living down south now. You have to have a car. No questions.
I was a US Airways f/a based in clt as well! I left in 2010, but was based in DCA for a year when I accepted call back, and then CLT from 07-10. Small world!
This video was one of the most accurate RU-vid city editorials I've seen Except her comments regarding Atlanta's real estate market. Those supposed great homes in the high 100k, only exist in fairly sketchy neighborhoods. Atlanta has the deceptive Angeles effect. Visually a neighborhood looks nice only to find out the crime rate is off the charts or the school system is terrible. The desirable Atlanta neighborhoods are just as competitive as most of America. Homes that would've been 225k 2 years ago are $300k and up from there. My former town 45 minutes north you can't find one decent single family home under 230k. ANY single family homes in the 100s or low 200k in ATL run as fast as you can. We moved back here with a 250k budget and ended up fighting to grab one available 341k home in inventory. Other than that she's 100% spot on about Charlotte. I Kinda miss Charlotte.
You hit the nail on the head regarding the home prices. I’ve lived an hour away in Columbia, SC my entire life and I can remember when home prices in Charlotte were not much more expensive than here. Houses in Charlotte have skyrocketed and the natives don’t have the incomes to keep up with buyers from the more expensive states. A few of my friends have had to move from Charlotte to Gastonia and Concord.
Definitely needed this video. I moved in Charlotte last year January. Ended up off Albemarle Rd and hated it. Moved to Mooresville for the rest of the year. Now I'm back apartment hunting again and playing with my options. One thing some people aren't taking into consideration is a lot of the apartments are not properly renovated, so you get places with new appliances with new paint over old paint and cabinets. Coming from Central VA. For what you get from some of these places, the rent is not worth it. Definitely thinking about moving to the outskirts.
I'm really liking the idea of Charlotte. I'm about to graduate college. I'm up in Wisconsin. I LOVE seasons, but the WI winters are absolutely brutal. Pretty cool you still get seasons down there. I hope the dating scene isn't too bad for men! I wanna try to find my wife! Lol
No lies detected in this video. I moved to Charlotte 9 years ago and I’ve thought about buying a house but the prices are high. I’m considering buying Mooresville.
Yes brought my house June 2020 in TX born and raised in Charlotte and my house there would be WAYYYYYY more. Definitely get more bang for your buck in TX
I live in Dallas and my current and last apartment is right infront of our Dart Rail Transportation. Very convenient and it goes over the entire DFW area which is huge!! I stay 20 mins from the airport and my job in downtown Dallas using our public transportation system.
She is correct about the public transportation in Charlotte. I was born and raised here watched the city grow and it is not easy. They may have grown the transportation system but they don’t have easy access for everyone no sidewalks in some places or you have to walk a really long way to get to a bus or the train
Idk bout y’all, but I moved here January 19th 2021, and I have met 2 brotha’s!! Both with nice jobs and single! Well single enough to be invited over their place! 👍🏽and out on dinner dates!
@@tygrinter1876 That’s great! I think the issue that I’m finding like I mentioned was there are single men but some of them are perfectly happy being and staying single.
Great Video! Super informative! I luv hearing other people’s perspectives on the city !Thank you for confirming that I’m not crazy about how horrible dating is here !😫🤣Thank you for sharing 😀
I remember in 2013 and being transferred from Chipotle University, to Chipotle Southpark. It took an hour to get from University to uptown, then after waiting for the transfer, it took another hour to get to Southpark. Two hours of riding before I would start an 10 to 12 hour shift; and prayed I made it out the door before that last bus that could get me home. 4 hours of bus riding every workday.
Thank you for bringing up the public transportation topic, I take public transportation & have been for a few years now it’s terrible I think Charlotte has an overall lack of communication all throughout the city
Hello, I'm a Psych nurse from Baltimore, MD and am thinking about taking a travel nursing assignment in the Charlotte area in the near future. This video was very informative! Thanks for posting!
Me and the lady moved to Charlotte from Baltimore about 6 months ago. Its like night and day compared to Baltimore. Baltimore is trash and I was born and raised. If you have the opportunity to move get out of there. You will definitely like Charlotte. Good luck
You are right about the dating market. You have to catch a guy who is new to town. Any guy that has lived here for a minute has made several “friends” and isn’t trying to give up all those options.
Girlfriend this video is so on point!! I cannot disagree with anything you said. I have lived in Charlotte all my life... I'm 42..and it has definitely changed a lot!
I’m almost in the Miami, Florida area and it’s expensive as hell down here. I am thinking about moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. Drove there some months ago and I loved it. Only time will tell. Thanks for this video. 💯💯💯💯
Honey it ain't anything like Miami. I lived in Kendall 9 years before I moved to Salisbury NC which is 45 mins north of Charlotte. The food, fashion, fast life is non existent. Low paying jobs as well. But it might be different for you. The winter to a newbie might be uncomfortable as well. GOOD luck!
@@sachacombs7400 I lived in Kendall/Miami my entire life and moved up here to Charlotte couple of years ago. I absolutely love Charlotte but I also live in the center of it all. I love it so much that I never want to go back to South Florida lol. Now, if I lived in the "outskirts" of Charlotte like you did.. that's so different. So much going on in Charlotte. Very different than Miami, of course, but still so much fun and I don't regret it.
@@sachacombs7400 salisbury is in rowan county, which isn’t growing nearly as fast as cabarrus, mecklenburg, union or iredell counties. as you get closer to the city it gets more busy, the food scene in charlotte isn’t bad either.
You were so spot on about everything! I moved here from MS for a better life and it's been a struggle, an uphill battle! I have a Bachelor's Degree and still can't get a job in the field a studied in! I have no car, so getting around is very hard and the public transportation does suck here! The bus only takes you so far and then you have to walk the rest of the way whether it's in the rain, heat, or cold, or whatever!
Girl. I’m so glad you did this video. It was between Raleigh and Charlotte for my move next year. I’ll be going to Raleigh. I’m planning a move out to Portugal in 3-4 years so that will look. Also when I lived there I was only approached by older white men to actually be in relationships with.
Thank you for this very informative video ! I live in Fort Lauderdale Fl. And I’ve been drawn to the idea of moving to North Carolina for the longest even though I’ve never been and don’t know anyone who lives there , other than the people who visit Fl, and they always seem so pleasant!
Thank goodness I found this video!! I’m from South Carolina and will be moving to Charlotte for my job. I’m so glad for the rent prospective from someone else from the Carolinas, because these prices seem high to me.
Born and raised in East Charlotte (went to college in Boone tho) used public transport for a few years (starting about a year after light rail was finished), thought it was bad then, didn't know just how bad till I used another city's. Something you didn't mention is our roads. There have been times where some roads had a pothole every few hundred feet; only recently have the finished rebuilding the bridge on east sugar creek which they about started 8 or 9 years ago; and there's something about John belk's freeway that causes chronic accidents for as long as i can remember.
@sassafrass I’m in LA now, thinking about moving there. How do you like it coming from LA? I’m originally from the South but haven’t lived in the South in a while. Thx!
@@JKL_04 I love it here. I miss certain food places in L.A. though. I love the seasons here and don't miss the overpriced overcrowded Cali. Where are you in L.A.?
@sassafrass I’m in Santa Clarita. But lived in the Valley for years before moving up here. We will definitely miss the food (the Mexican especially) but I’m glad to hear you like it!
It is a seller's market because rates are so low. I am in the mortgage business. It is crazy right now. I already own my home but this is a great time to buy if you can. I refinanced and my rate is 2.5% for a 30 year mortgage. That is unreal. I've been in the business for over 20 years so I know. Although I do hear it is hard to find a home since it is way more buyers than sellers. $225K is a good price for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. The sq ft is little low. If it is in a good neighborhood, it's ok. The rent price of $1,600 is outrageous. That is why I stopped renting years ago. That's more than the mortgage would be if you bought the house for $225K.
Great video!! Maryland lady moving to Charlotte this year! I will be living in a surrounding county and traveling to Charlotte for work. Thanks for taking the time to make this!
I’m considering relocating to Charlotte and yea for me it’s like a catch 22 in terms of housing and career...in Jersey you can make the money but can’t really afford a home. In other places, you’ll probably make less but you can most likely become a home owner. In Jersey most 1 bedrooms will run you $1600 and this is a 1 floor unit with no amenities. Thanks for the video and your perspective Lia!
First, great job on the aesthetics (makeup, hair, background, and gear). I’m a Carolina girl too and agree that the cost of living is skyrocketing across Carolina. I’m in Greenville where extremely basic homes under 1400 s.q. are going for $180k and up. First time homeowners are getting outbid by real estate investors that rent these homes for over $1k/month. Alright, let me get back to the video and get all your tips/viewpoints lol!
This sounds like paradise. I live in the NW and you can't find a dirty 1 bdrm apartment for under $1,100. Basic 3 bedroom house are around 600k and up.
I just moved back to Charlotte but lived here from 2010-2014 then moved back and have been here from 2017-now. Definitely a total changed. I lived uptown before all the mess they added up town. Uptown was fairly new and no one knew what Charlotte was. I remember them building the light rail, adding the baseball stadium, etc. Gentrification is definitely real and a hot mess. You’ll have a million dollar house next to someone’s old grandmas house. Or in the middle of Beaties Ford which makes no sense. Charlotte is beautiful but is lost in its identity. It’s doing a lot. Affordable houses are definitely on the out skirts. I loved living in Huntersville. Concord and Fort Mill are nice too. It’s definitely been growing which has been raising rental prices. Still love it tho lol tons of stuff to do! Jobs are good here if you’re in the banking/financing/accounting, medical and culinary industry. Working in the real estate market isn’t bad either considering how many apartment properties and new housing developments are being built by the minute.
This was refreshingly accurate. I'm from and currently live in Winston-Salem, which for those who don't know, is an hour away from Charlotte. I lived in Charlotte for 2 years and spend a lot of time visiting there. This is the first video I've watched on Charlotte that hit the bullseye. I would like to add to your list of things to do, that Charlotte has the National White Water Rafting Center as well. It's a place where you can do anything from outdoor ice skating in the winter, white water rafting, rock wall climbing, to zip lining and more. They also have great comedy clubs with major acts coming thru weekly and sometimes daily. You can also catch Broadway shows such as the Lion King, The Color Purple, etc. as they come thru. Maybe you mentioned this but I missed it, but you can of course catch an NFL game with our Carolina Panthers or NBA game with the Hornets and they have a professional soccer team coming soon. There's also a professional hockey team as well I believe but I can't remember the name. Charlotte has lots of beautiful parks across the city as well for family fun or to just get out and get some fresh air and sunshine. Oh and they have an iFly which is indoor sky diving that anyone can do. There's lots to do in Charlotte and the energy and vibe of the city is the best in the state in my opinion. I am in the process of moving back this year. I love Charlotte.
I'm from NY and I'm considering moving to Charleston next summer. I already work in Healthcare so I'm hoping I find a job quickly. Thank you for this video via ❤💜💗. SN: your makeup is beautiful 😍
Dallas,Tx has terrible public transit too. It takes me 2 almost 2 1/2 hrs to get around this dump of a city. I'm trying to get out of here before summer hits.
@@nataliegraham3287 hey lady! I love it here. The social life is great in my opinion. Charlotte is growing at a very rapid rate. I heard there’s about 1000 people moving here per week. They’re constantly building businesses and apartment buildings to keep up with the growth. I also love the weather. We get four seasons without a brutal winter. You should check it out!
I lived in Charlotte for 3 years 2015-2018 and I still come back twice a year since moving back up North and I totally agree with you on Dating and housing! With careers, I’m in medical billing so I’ve always been able to get jobs in Charlotte but getting a job with Novant or Atrium the big hospital systems or Bank of America or one of those big companies down there was hard. That is the only reason I left and came back home also because rent doubled. I still love Charlotte and would love to eventually move back.
Lavon, I went to stay with my aunt in Charlotte, while my mom was in the hospital. I enjoy Charlotte I would like to live there, but it is expensive. Lord's willing for me to move to Raleigh NC.
Go Wolfpack!! Great video.. I came close to moving to Charlotte also after graduation now that was in the 90's. I decided to stay in Raleigh because I got a job offer and I enjoyed living in Raleigh. The dating scene was great in Raleigh. My friend married a guy she met while she was at NCSU and he moved to Charlotte with her after graduation. I married a guy I met years later while living in Raleigh but we moved to a neighboring county to get more house for the money. Things have really changed, both Raleigh and Charlotte home prices have skyrocketed over the years.
The rental market for many major cities is skyrocketing, not just Charlotte. And this is coming from someone that has lived in Philly, Jacksonville and now San Diego.
@@theeALister Yes even in a place like Asheville that’s in the mountains. I’m trying to figure out how those in hospitality jobs are making it cause it’s ridiculous down here in the South!!
Moved to Charlotte in January 2020 from LA. Loved it, a small city with big city feels. Pandemic hurt but cost of living is extremely low traffic isn’t bad.
Im from Elizabeth NJ also. The rent is ridiculous here. I would love to move to north carolina. Nj is t the most expensive state in thE U. S. Also NY and CA.
I’m from jersey as well (the shore area) and I’m going to move to North Carolina next month. I can’t afford these prices and Work is super stressful . I don’t care to live in a major city as my grandmother is from oxford nc (it’s a super small town lol) bye jersey
Been in Charlotte 20 yrs and I love it. Prices are starting to get outrageous for rent/mortgage. Job market is crazy bc everyone is applying for the same positions. Charlotte is a small DC or NY.
This is a perfect description of living in Charlotte today. I've lived here the same amount of years coming from Cleveland Ohio which is the cheapest cities to live in the midwest/north regions so I feel the pain of the housing issues. I would love to hear your take on entertainment and culture here in Charlotte. Entertainment has definitely changed from 8 years ago.
@@Repentedandsaved if you're coming from those areas imo you can adapt to the relative ease of the Charlotte environment which to me is similar to the Midwest, however with a slight Atlanta flair to it. That southern-ness comes isn't glaring down there but is present and is a difference from being in North east Ohio where it isn't as social of a climate.
@@consciousawakening4799 Ohio is one of the cheapest metro ares to live in most of the US. Charlotte may be expensive but you will pay the same or more in any major city. Plus in Cleveland there are plenty of private owned properties to rent whereas here in Charlotte everything is managed by companies. But if you are educated and want to get paid what you are worth Charlotte is a great place to move to.