[gfmucci]

My wife and I are having trouble deciding between two very different locations...The Villages and the Mountains of NC.

They both have their pluses and minuses, e.g. fees, taxes, culture, activities, etc. We already own a place in NC, (Brevard) which has appreciated nicely in the past two years when FL prices have been deflating. We currently live in north FL.

What are your thoughts about the pros and cons of each area, for those of you you have considered North Carolina, aka "half-back territory." My wife (who has chronic fatigue) has a low tolerance level for both heat and cold - but few places remain between 70 and 80 all year round. :

[jtdraig]

Each place has it's pluses and minuses. I think it comes down to the style of living you want, the weather, the expenses, and how near to the grandmonsters you want to be ;D.
Personally, I think living near a large lake in the mountains of SC would be ideal. However, the boss doesn't like the cold and who can beat the lifestyle we have here? Choice made for now!

[Avista]

I love NC. Our daughter lives there, and we just visited her. However, although the weather is nice a good part of the year, winters are just too cold for me. I am always glad to get back to the Florida sunshine.

[beady]

We were trying to make the same decision some months ago.

Our daughter and family lives just east of Asheville in NC. Beautiful country, 65 degrees last Christmas day, wonderful communities close to Asheville, but it does get chilly and in spots snowy. What made the choice for us was we wanted to be warm all year round and closer than 5-6 hours from the ocean. We chose TV for the lifestyle,the climate and the bonus is we aren't more than a 90 minute drive to the shore.

[TV MAN]

We also had thought about a place near or outside of Ashville, but could not find anything that came close to the amenities offered at the villages for pools, entertainment & various activities.

[schotzyb]

For the last 28 years we have lived in a fairly small town about halfway between Charlotte and Ashville and I can assure you that the weather gets pretty bad in the winter. Not so much snow as sleet and freezing rain which is much worse than snow.Power outages are very common especially in Jan. and Feb. when the weather is at it's worse.