Profiles on Local Neighborhoods

Tips  for  Finding  the  Perfect  Neighborhood

PITT  COUNTY

Greenville

Greenville, NC, is a metropolitan area that blends long time natives with newcomers from every corner of the globe.  Urban advantages combine with polite friendliness to make a wonderful place to live.  East Carolina University is a centerpiece to life in Greenville, offering hundreds of degree programs and attracting thousands of students from around the world.   ECU boasts one of the top medical schools in the nation, and the Brody School of Medicine at ECU and Pitt County Memorial Hospital are the planned anchors for a proposed 2000-acre research and development park. University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina, which includes Pitt County Memorial Hospital, is a regional health system serving 29 counties in eastern North Carolina, University Health Systems also includes community hospitals, physician practices, home health and other independently operated health services and works every day to improve the health of the 1.2 million people they serve.

Among the special residential areas available in Greenville are Golfing Communities, such as Ironwood and Brook Valley, and Equestrian Communities, such as Rock Springs and Blue Banks.

Additional information can be found at the Greenville-Pitt Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

 

Winterville

The Town of Winterville, current population 6,500, is a full service municipality located immediately south of Greenville in the central coastal plain region.  Its relaxed, family-oriented lifestyle is drawing about 1,200 new residents per year.  Winterville offers excellent career opportunities nearby without the headaches and congestion found in larger cities.  It offers excellent schools and a growing industrial community.   Money Magazine recently named Winterville one of "America's 50 Hottest Little Boom Towns."   Pitt Community College, serving 6,208 students, is located on Hwy 11 within the Town corporate limits, and East Carolina University serving nearly 22,000 students is located just minutes away in Greenville.

Farmville

The town of Farmville, only a ten-minute drive from the city of Greenville, offers the slower pace of country living with the convenience of easy access to excellent medical facilities, quality employment, and higher educational institutions.  Farmville is rich in southern culture and history, boasting some unique Victorian homes and commercial structures along with its Historic District.  The Dogwood Festival is an annual event as well as "Take Pride in Farmville" Days.   Family neigborhoods and community schools as well as shopping and dining attractions invite visitors to become residents.

Ayden

In 1891, a farmer in the southern part of what is now Pitt County, decided that a portion of his farm would make a great place to live if only it had a railroad depot. William Henry Harris was able to convince the Atlantic Coast Line of the same, and soon a 40 acre parcel of land was divided into residential lots surrounding a depot in "Harristown", with Mr. Harris owning every other lot. Within the next several years, lots were sold and homes built. Businesses began to spring up to support the new residents, and on February 3, 1891, the Town was incorporated as "Ayden", a name, as area story tellers claim, discovered by a local on a map of the world.

Today, Ayden encompasses over 2.5 square miles and is home for over 5,000 residents. The community is continuing to prepare itself for new growth as Pitt County develops into a major industrial and economic center for eastern North Carolina.   It boasts an Historic District of close to 500 homes of the Colonial Revival, Queen Anne and Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival architectural styles.  Ayden, home of the annual Ayden Collard Festival (each September), continues to strive to maintain the character and quality for which the Town has become known as "a hometown to love".

Grifton

Grifton is proud to call itself "The Family Town."  There's a rich tradition of history in Grifton and southern Pitt County dating back to pre-colonial times. On the banks of the Contentnea Creek, right at the edge of town, a great battle between Tuscarora Indians and North Carolina colonists marked a turning point in early North Carolina history. Antebellum farm life, Civil War skirmishes, and the expansion of the Atlantic Coastline Railroad form other important episodes in Grifton's growth and development. The local historical museum is a rich resource of information and artifacts, bringing history to life for residents and visitors. Local works of art are displayed in the museum's lobby each spring as part of the Shad Festival, a continuous growing tradition begun in 1971.

Business and industry, long a key attraction of Grifton, are keeping pace with the dynamic business growth of eastern North Carolina. From the major Du Pont plant established in 1952 and the Weyerhaeuser processing plant, to the most current facilities to accommodate the proposed Global Transpark, Grifton is located in the heart of business growth and development.   Homes, from the modern to the historic, are affordable and attractive in Grifton. Housing developments and neighborhoods suit all tastes and budgets. Grifton's communities are a great place to raise families and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle.

TIPS  FOR  FINDING  THE  PERFECT  NEIGHBORHOOD

The neighborhood you choose can have a big impact on your lifestyle—safety, available amenities, and convenience all play their part.

Make a list of the activities—movies, health club, church—you engage in regularly and stores you visit frequently. See how far you would have to travel from each neighborhood you’re considering to engage in your most common activities.

Check out the school district. (For school websites and other information see our Schools and Scholars page.)  Look for information on test scores, class size, percentage of students who attend college, and special enrichment programs. If you have school-age children, you might also pay a visit to schools in the neighborhoods you’re considering. Even if you don’t have children, a house in a good school district will be easier to sell in the future.

Find out if the neighborhood is safe. Ask the police department for neighborhood crime statistics. Consider not only the number of crimes but also the type—burglaries, armed robberies—and the trend of increasing or decreasing crime. Also, is crime centered in only one part of the neighborhood, such as near a retail area?  You can also find out important information at the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry.

Determine if the neighborhood is economically stable. Check with your local city economic development office to see if income and property values in the neighborhood are stable or rising. What is the percentage of homes to apartments? Apartments don’t necessarily diminish value, but do mean a more transient population. Do you see vacant businesses or homes that have been for sale for months?

See for yourself. Once you’ve narrowed your focus to two or three neighborhoods, go there and walk around. Are homes tidy and well maintained? Are streets quiet? Pick a warm day if you can and chat with people working or playing outside.

		Bruce Goodenough    Broker, CRS,  GRI    (252) 245-Nest   Direct    (252) 937-7000   Office   1- To Nestle In   Toll-Free    Bruce@NestleIn.com
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