Relocate-America.com
ranks top 100 cities in its annual list
Apparently, there's just
something about
North Carolina.
For the second year in a row, America's best city in
which to live lies within its borders, according to
Relocate-America.com's annual list.
This year, Charlotte, N.C., is
in the top spot, the site announced this week. Last
year's winner was
Asheville, N.C., which
slipped to No. 7 on this year's list.
"North Carolina is very active on our
radar," said Steve Nickerson, president and CEO of
HomeRoute. "It continues to get a flood of interest from
all over."
HomeRoute is the real estate firm that
operates Relocate-America.com, a source of community
information and real-estate resources for those who are
relocating. Each year, the site ranks the top 100 places
to live in the country.
Areas need to be nominated on the site
in order to be eligible for the list; more than 2,000
were nominated this year, Nickerson said. Special
efforts are made to prevent spamming campaigns from
influencing the results, he added.
But the site's editorial team also
takes into account an area's growth, its educational and
employment opportunities, crime rates and housing
options before granting it a spot in the top 100.
Environmental highlights also play a role, with a city
gaining points for good air and water quality or the
strength of its recycling efforts, Nickerson said.
Home-price
appreciation does get some
consideration, however it's only one piece of the
analysis, Nickerson said -- explaining why some
struggling real estate markets in
California
and
Florida, for example, still
made the top 100. Areas that offer a comfortable climate
and economic opportunity tend to be the most
sought-after communities on the site, he said.
Charlotte's diversity of housing
options and home affordability were two of the reasons
users nominated the city, Nickerson said. The city's
strong economy, boosted largely by the banking industry,
was another selling point.
Second on this year's list was
San Antonio, Texas, which
people praised for its cost of living, recreational
opportunities and diversity, he said.
Chattanooga, Tenn., came in
third place, noted for its vibrant downtown and
affordable home prices in the nominations.
Below are the top 10 cities in
Relocate-America.com's
2008 list:
1. Charlotte, N.C.
2. San Antonio, Texas
3. Chattanooga, Tenn.
4. Greenville, S.C.
5. Tulsa, Okla.
6. Stevens Point, Wis.
7.
Asheville,
N.C.
8.
Albuquerque,
N.M.
9. Huntsville, Ala.
10. Seattle, Wash.
Read the full
list at Relocate-America.com.
The firm also plans on releasing
a coffee table book on the top 100 in the near future,
Nickerson said. Proceeds will benefit
American Red
Cross and
Habitat for
Humanity, he added.
Amy Hoak is a MarketWatch
reporter based in
Chicago.
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