Finally arrived in NC...

[thewiz]

Right on, Ben ..

My phone is 951.443.9708 ... bout a hundred and 165 miles to me from Raleigh.

[magnum440]

No place like North Carolina. Glad your enjoying it. MadMax, Look around the Zebulin area. Far enough out, but close enough to comute. I live about an hour and fifteen to the east of Raleigh. Down 264. Nice rual country.

[3Phase]

Scott ... sadly, I didn't make the Merle this year ... it's a forgone conclusion in the future though. Landlady's son and his buddy ... all of age 19 ... are prodigious mandolin and guitar players ... and either can play either equally well .... I was blown away ... I'm trying to get my hands back in shape after a couple of years of too much wrenchin' and not enough music ... it'll happen ... I'll make it.

Right on, it's supposed to be a fine ol' time and it sounds like you have enough people with the talent and ability to help you get your musical legs back under you. I'm stuck wrenching, again.

The rebuilt engine in my bike picked up a knock/rattle today so I tore it down, again.


Regards,

Scott

[bcknblkbird]

good looking bike.talked to my brother yesterday and he's interested. i know where kerr-scott is. i'll pass along the info and go from there. thanks!

[madmax-im]

My phone is 951.443.9708 ... bout a hundred and 165 miles to me from Raleigh.

Cool I already know some NC XSives! Cant waitto git down there!

No place like North Carolina. Glad your enjoying it. MadMax, Look around the Zebulin area. Far enough out, but close enough to comute. I live about an hour and fifteen to the east of Raleigh. Down 264. Nice rual country.

Thanks for the tip...we'll be looking into that along with a few other options as well. Raleigh looks to be a nice city so living there doesnt look to be that bad...but I am more of a suburb type anyways.

[madmax-im]

Housing question for NC residents

Ok I am looking at various communities and neighborhoods...It appears that most neighborhoods have homes without any type of garages...just a slab of concrete for parking...why is this so prevalent down there?...I do see a few homes that have them but they seem to be the exception rather than the norm. I like to keep my vehicles out of the weather especially my motorcycle...plus the added security of being able to lock things up...so what gives? Is it only the newest neighborhoods that have garages? Also why is it that many new neighborhoods have those damn home owners associations? Nothin' more than a bunch of communists IMO.

[magnum440]

I can't help you there. I have always lived in rual areas. Most homes there have either a connected garage or car port. If not they have detached "barns" or work shops that have plenty of work room. I now live in a small town, but have a farm with more storage/garage out in the country. I guess depends on wether you want to live in a niehborhood or not. The only thing I can come up with about no garages is that we never really had the bad winters they have up north. Plus, at the rate they are putting up these new communities, It's probably cheaper. Self storage units get premium price around here.

[randy]

Ben,

Yeah, steer as far clear as you can from those 'planned communities' with their home-owner's associations. When I first moved to PA I was in a planned community. The board was full of retirees who paid no attention to the needs of the younger employed who were raising families. Every month a new rule or regulation was adopted. Got so we didn't know what we were allowed to do, only what we weren't allowed to do. After 5 yrs there, we had amassed over 300 rules & regs! Last straw for me was getting fined $500 for using my wifes gate access card. I appealed it and won, but soon sold and moved out.

[madmax-im]

Its not only the freaking rules and what you cannot do...its the damn association fees as well...homeowner extortion! What a friggin outrage...here you are buying and in most cases paying a mortage on a property that YOU own and if that aint enough they tell you that you cant fly your flag or paint your walls or in which direction you can cut your grass and on and on... Dont think for a minute that I would put up with such crap 'cuz I wouldn't even consider those types of communities.
As for the garage thing I can see how better weather might be part of the reason...but I still want a place to secure my stuff so that its not stolen...especially my bike and keeping it out of the elements as well. BTW Thanks to the Mods for moving this as it really isnt XS and XJ related.

[magnum440]

Even the higher dollar communities around that area are "cookie cutter" quick built homes. I know some contractors and I would let them build a dog house. Your best bet is a custom home. That just means it's built to your specs not theres. There are some good contractors left out there. Not to say that there are not some good communities, just beware. There are more and more people (YANKEES), just kidding, moving south and more houses being built cheap.

[magnum440]

As far as association fees, Buy some land and build. There is still alot of farm land being sold well within driving distance to Raleigh. That way you can do what you want. fly what ever flag you want, paint what ever color you want and so forth. Build a big enough shop for toys.

[madmax-im]

Even the higher dollar communities around that area are "cookie cutter" quick built homes. I know some contractors and I would let them build a dog house. Your best bet is a custom home. That just means it's built to your specs not theres. There are some good contractors left out there. Not to say that there are not some good communities, just beware. There are more and more people (YANKEES), just kidding, moving south and more houses being built cheap.

Well you are correct that many Yankees are coming down there...but there are others from many other states too...communitites like Raliegh,Durham and Chapel Hill are quite liberal and tolerant of outsiders and other ethnic backgrounds...at least that is what I have read... I am sure there are places down there where I would not feel welcome. As for a new home..we would be looking for an older home in a"normal" town or neighborhood. I dont like the cookie cutter new homes that are built these days...especially those multi story homes...we want a Ranch style home with a garage...

[magnum440]

Please don't take ofence, just joking. You would be suprised how welcome you would feel. Southern hospitality is still alive. It doesn't mater where you go, your still going to have some rednecks. I've seen them in all states. There are older homes with small amounts of land everywhere. You just have to do the leg work. I work out of town a lot, but if there is anything I can do, I would be more than glad to help. Are you moving for work?

[madmax-im]

Please don't take ofence, just joking. You would be suprised how welcome you would feel. Southern hospitality is still alive. It doesn't mater where you go, your still going to have some rednecks. I've seen them in all states. There are older homes with small amounts of land everywhere. You just have to do the leg work. I work out of town a lot, but if there is anything I can do, I would be more than glad to help. Are you moving for work?

Dont worry no offense taken Its good to know that southern hospitality still exists as I am a hospitable person myself. It really doesn't matter where you are from ...just that people treat each other with dignity and respect. The reasons for moving involve...employment opportunities in the research triangle park region and lower costs of living including lower property taxes. Here in NJ we pay close to $10000/ year for an 1800 sq.ft ranch house on 2/3s' of an acre...over 50% of those taxes are for the damn school district. Our disposable income is disposed of before we can get it... We are totally fed up with it...its a shame 'cuz where we live in NJ is quite desireable in every other respect...but we just cant afford to keep this up. We a have been renovating the house and hopefully by next year it will be ready to market. Thanks for your offer to help...when the time comes we'll be in touch.

[thewiz]

Planned communities ..

are what I'm used to seeing everywhere ... grew up largely in Levittown, PA this country's first planned community. Southern Cal, and Colo Spgs, where I've been for the last 30 yrs, are also FULL of 'em. The older things that I see out here are in every way so refreshing to me ... can't explain why .... but I just like it way better. No offense to the planned communities either ... they serve a purpose. We, who enjoy these bikes, of all people, know that progress is not necessarily always better.

And Stacy is right ... southern hopitality is very much alive. I'll vouch for that ...

S