Rural property and education, crime, guns

Sigequinox220

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All, wife and I found a home/property that we are becoming madly in love with.

few questions for y’all:

1. this is close enough to serve as hybrid “primary + “vacation” home for us. However, the schools not particularly impressive. 4 charter schools within half hour though, any thoughts, personal experiences etc?


2. How to tell of a “gun range” will be acceptable. Population density is favorable, but a few houses located close to property. Any way of knowing whether they will hate me and my family for shooting (not just hunting few shots /year)?

3. crime rate for area is not most attractive numbers I’ve seen either. Any rural folks with some insight into what exactly crime profile is like in farmland type areas? This mostly gas station clerks getting robbed or beat at 2am or is Joe Blow single family home at risk of the criminal element as well (in non trivial way obviously)

4. property is in northern Orange County. Zoned agriculture so taxes are solid. Any weird ordnance’s I should know about? Any personal experience good or bad to share regarding rural Orange County?

5. phone and internet in rural areas. Any life hacks for high speed (150-200+ mbps internet) and reliable cell service in rural areas?

some pics below from our initial day visit and follow up evening visit tonight. Realtor will be next step. 3 pastures, a pond, annual creek, hardwood, rolling topography, few different soil types (wmd, CH, and ENO I belive)

Thanks all

33BF002C-9F93-4795-8275-76D51CFCABF9.jpeg DBB25D64-1D85-4AA6-9461-9794B6CCCBA7.jpeg D1B6F98C-FDD8-4650-A1A4-0A7922C2C27B.jpeg D3CC9724-0A3F-4EA8-B18B-38074543A9A3.jpeg 338A9C92-2C44-43A3-8CEE-06939BB740A3.jpeg 41C6A068-4A8E-4195-837B-B8971DEE5841.jpeg
 
6. You won't have any time for the first five, as you'll be spending most of it keeping that property up.

Really though, if that rural area is anything like mine, the majority of the crime is domestics for pill heads and shop/truck toolbox/ equipment thefts for supporting said pill heads.
No idea of Orange Co. ordinances. How many acres is the lot? That can have some bearing, even in counties that have no-shooting ordinances.
Phone and internet, good luck. I didn't have access to anything besides dial-up until 5 years ago. My mother had to pay to have a cable line trenched from her closest utility pole to the tune of 800 bucks. I still can't get cell signal near my shop or woods.
 
I’m up in Caldwell. Feel free to hit me up if you’d like to chat about the neighborhood.

Every thing in life of consequence has its ups and downs, but I don’t know of a better place anywhere for our little family. We love it here.
 
6. You won't have any time for the first five, as you'll be spending most of it keeping that property up.

Really though, if that rural area is anything like mine, the majority of the crime is domestics for pill heads and shop/truck toolbox/ equipment thefts for supporting said pill heads.
No idea of Orange Co. ordinances. How many acres is the lot? That can have some bearing, even in counties that have no-shooting ordinances.
Phone and internet, good luck. I didn't have access to anything besides dial-up until 5 years ago. My mother had to pay to have a cable line trenched from her closest utility pole to the tune of 800 bucks. I still can't get cell signal near my shop or woods.

If high speed cable could be brought to house for $800 I would do that in a heartbeat. That’s exactly kind of of info I’m looking for as a suburb guy my whole life, not really sure what can be done. Trench away ha.

as of now, I have not been able to find any Orange County ordnance against shooting. Other than town of chapel hill. Part of me does wish this was a 1/4 mile west and it would then be in Alamance. If this will be lifelong project of building out “dream property” I don’t want any stupid zoning BS either. Most properties in truly rural countines I seen are all “no restriction”....

Great insight on the crime. That’s what I figured. With the population being generally older, and couples therefore married for decades, figured few extra knuckle sandwiches may go around at home. Had similar feeling about drugs given socioeconomic diversity (not that any strata is immune to drug problems I. This day and age sadly enough).

property is 30 acres. Very well layed out and diverse for what it is. I can easily get a 200-250 yard range going i the hardwood portion, but that would put the primary “boom” ~200 yards perpendicular -ish to nearest house from shooting location. Even if lowered 5 dB over that distance, not sure they won’t go nuts of doing multi course fire drills firing 200 rounds in an hour.
 
I live in northern orange county. When I moved here I called the Sheriff office and asked "If I am far enough away from my neighbor and I have an acceptable backstop can I......" the officer cut me off and said "exercise your 2nd Amendment and God given right, you sure can".... we then had a very nice 20 minute discussion welcoming me to OC. Very happy here besides not having some of the conveniences very close by. Need to drive to Mebane or Durham for most of those. Good luck
 
I live in northern orange county. When I moved here I called the Sheriff office and asked "If I am far enough away from my neighbor and I have an acceptable backstop can I......" the officer cut me off and said "exercise your 2nd Amendment and God given right, you sure can".... we then had a very nice 20 minute discussion welcoming me to OC. Very happy here besides not having some of the conveniences very close by. Need to drive to Mebane or Durham for most of those. Good luck

good to hear I didn’t miss anything regarding ordinance! I guess my real question is whether there any tell tale signs the neighbors will despise you ha.


For example, we checked out a property that was 80 acres in Alamance few weeks ago, but there is NO WAY I was going to have an enjoyable gun range on that property despite size because all around it were tiny lots and neighbors everywhere. I’d have graffiti and TP covering my house every day lol. Well maybe not TP In This day and age, but you know what I mean. I want to be a good neighbor and enjoy the freedom, not have to do the “am I being detained or under arrest bit” over noise complaints constantly.

I think we are probably good here though my gut says. Other than the few proximal neighbors lots of wide open multihundred acre farms and AG business.

If we move further down the transaction pipeline, I may shoot you and some of the other OC Rez members the GIS link for really well informed opinion before pulling trigger.
 
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Once you get moved in, you’ll hear others shooting. That’s just how it is “in the country”.

Recently, after 3 years of shooting on my property, a deputy rolled down the driveway and said, “I just wanna make sure everyone is safe”. A gunshot or two at 3am, maybe. A hundred or so at 3pm, that’s just BS. Someone new musta moved nearby, coming from somewhere that forbids such behavior. Several of my neighbors shoot, it just musta been my lucky day.

As much as it pains me, I’ve gotta agree with @Love2shoot...exercise your right. Very little chance of anyone painting graffiti on the home of a shooter. ;)
 
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Once you get moved in, you’ll hear others shooting. That’s just how it is “in the country”.

Recently, after 3 years of shooting on my property, a deputy rolled down the driveway and said, “I just wanna make sure everyone is safe”. A gunshot or two at 3am, maybe. A hundred or so at 3pm, that’s just BS. Someone new musta moved nearby, coming from somewhere that forbids such behavior. Several of my neighbors shoot, it just musta been my lucky day.

As much as it pain me, I’ve gotta agree with @Love2shoot...exercise your right. Very little chance of anyone painting graffiti on the home of a shooter. ;)


Did you tell him that everyone was safe***** well, you know ,because of the way you shoot?


iu
 
Once you get moved in, you’ll hear others shooting. That’s just how it is “in the country”.

Recently, after 3 years of shooting on my property, a deputy rolled down the driveway and said, “I just wanna make sure everyone is safe”. A gunshot or two at 3am, maybe. A hundred or so at 3pm, that’s just BS. Someone new musta moved nearby, coming from somewhere that forbids such behavior. Several of my neighbors shoot, it just musta been my lucky day.

As much as it pain me, I’ve gotta agree with @Love2shoot...exercise your right. Very little chance of anyone painting graffiti on the home of a shooter. ;)

Back when bump stocks were "legal," I had one on an AR chambered in 7.62x39. I took it to my buddy's house (yes, I have one) for him and his wife to try out.

His house sits on only six acres, but borders a tree farm. His BIL lives about 300yds in the opposite direction of our fire. And although people live in the area, the houses are so spread out that you can't see them for the pines, etc.

He and I ran a mag each. His wife gets home from work and she runs a mag. It's about dusk dark and we see a light sweeping the backyard. We were on the back deck, shooting towards the plates against the tree line. His wife finally walks around front and it's a deputy.

He joins us on the back deck and said "gunfire" was called in and he was checking it out. I splained to him what I had and asked if he wanted to run a mag. He said he couldn't, so I said, "Well, I can," and brrrrrrppp.

He just chuckled and asked if we were done. We were, because I only had enough ammo for a few runs. Lol
 
1)- Schools: If there’s any way to afford it, you can, an y’all have any discipline homeschool. When the first kid arrived we sold our home for one 1/2 the size, and both cars (they had loans). It was one of the best decisions we’ve made. Those boys are some of the wisest and brightest men I’ve ever known. BTW, they spent their years, 8-21, on 40ac with horses, cows, motocross track, chickens, snakes, lizards, dogs and cat. They all say they had the perfect childhood.
2)- Range: Is there a spot to fire rifle where there’s mounds on each side to direct the noise up/away from neighbors? Get a can, or five. Ask the neighbors about it before you set up, if one’s more sensitive place your range further away from them. If one’s into it you might have a new friend. Het to know them a bit, you may need their help down the road.
3)- Crime: I’d normally tell someone to be vigilant, you don’t need any more nudging in tat direction :p. Get a family loving protective dog, we love and have had Rotties in our home for 30 years. Bad guys hate dealing with what they perceive to be a man stopper.
4)- Ordinances: dunno
5)- How’s the cell signal there now? Here you can find who has antennas nearby http://www.antennasearch.com/
High speed interwebs, good luck, hot spotting our phone is much faster than the POS $50 CenturyLink service.
Good luck
 
Since nobody has mentioned it, I will point out that admission to charter schools is via lottery. If the base schools are bad, then more people apply to the lotteries and your chances of getting in drop.

Your best odds of getting in are grades K,6,and 9. If you have more than one kid, some schools have sibling preference in those lotteries. Preference also goes to children of employees.

Charters do not have a district, so you can apply for any school in the state if you don’t mind the commute.
 
1)- Schools: If there’s any way to afford it, you can, an y’all have any discipline homeschool. When the first kid arrived we sold our home for one 1/2 the size, and both cars (they had loans). It was one of the best decisions we’ve made. Those boys are some of the wisest and brightest men I’ve ever known. BTW, they spent their years, 8-21, on 40ac with horses, cows, motocross track, chickens, snakes, lizards, dogs and cat. They all say they had the perfect childhood.
2)- Range: Is there a spot to fire rifle where there’s mounds on each side to direct the noise up/away from neighbors? Get a can, or five. Ask the neighbors about it before you set up, if one’s more sensitive place your range further away from them. If one’s into it you might have a new friend. Het to know them a bit, you may need their help down the road.
3)- Crime: I’d normally tell someone to be vigilant, you don’t need any more nudging in tat direction :p. Get a family loving protective dog, we love and have had Rotties in our home for 30 years. Bad guys hate dealing with what they perceive to be a man stopper.
4)- Ordinances: dunno
5)- How’s the cell signal there now? Here you can find who has antennas nearby http://www.antennasearch.com/
High speed interwebs, good luck, hot spotting our phone is much faster than the POS $50 CenturyLink service.
Good luck

the cell service there sucks. I have a Verizon WiFi cell booster, which helped tremendously in my last house so that would probably be okay.

working remote and having so many devices and bandwidth needs, internet speed will be importNt tho.

On crime front I actually found some crime statistics. Set it for past 5 years and set it to heat map....fortunately the immediate area (“neighborhood”) looks nice. It’s pretty wild how well the “hot spots” correlate with major roads/highways.
 
Doesn’t a cell phone booster require broadband?
 
You won't have any time for the first five, as you'll be spending most of it keeping that property up

This. Seriously. My measly 8.5 acres takes way way more of my time than I anticipated.

As far as shooting, no matter where you live, no matter how rural, there will ALWAYS be that one d-bag within earshot...
 
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This. Seriously. My measly 8.5 acres takes way way more of my time than I anticipated.

As far as shooting, no matter where you live, no matter how rural, there will ALWAYS be that one d-bag within earshot...

with 30 and fenced off pastures, I would definitely have some grazing animals to assist, allow a neighbor to have his livestock graze or similar. Otherwise will pay to have someone cut at least the pastures.

I will likely need to do something of this nature anyway to maintain the tax exemptions. I have been digging into the deed books, but not very clear to my inexperienced eye exactly what’s going on...will continue doing hw today and have solid questions for at least realtor on that front
 
Yes, uses internet or something to boost signal. My IT IQ is cooler than a fridge so don’t know much more than that
Right. My point was that you’d first need reliable broadband out there before being able to use a cell booster. ;)
 
Interesting rural internet solution. This guy clocked 300+ download speed on camera...

 
@Sigequinox220
That’s an outstanding solution but I’m not sure he sufficiently emphasized some of the caveats...

1. He had Spectrum service delivered to the distant property address which, obviously, is within Spectrum’s service area. He didn’t specify who owns that property. In your case, you’d need to find a property that does get service and either own that location or make an agreement with that property’s owner. At that property, you’d need full time power, a dry location for the broadband modem (assuming there isn’t a home at that address) and space to construct a mast (the 25’ “pole” he mentioned. There’s gotta be a mast and dish at each end). If that property is owned by another, you’d have to have their agreement.

2. The whole premise of what he accomplished is that there’s broadband service available at a location close enough to be in-range of the two-way system AND be within line-of-sight. The more obstacles and difference in elevation between the two ends, the taller the masts hafta be.

;)
 
@Sigequinox220
That’s an outstanding solution but I’m not sure he sufficiently emphasized some of the caveats...

1. He had Spectrum service delivered to the distant property address which, obviously, is within Spectrum’s service area. He didn’t specify who owns that property. In your case, you’d need to find a property that does get service and either own that location or make an agreement with that property’s owner. At that property, you’d need full time power, a dry location for the broadband modem (assuming there isn’t a home at that address) and space to construct a mast (the 25’ “pole” he mentioned. There’s gotta be a mast and dish at each end). If that property is owned by another, you’d have to have their agreement.

2. The whole premise of what he accomplished is that there’s broadband service available at a location close enough to be in-range of the two-way system AND be within line-of-sight. The more obstacles and difference in elevation between the two ends, the taller the masts hafta be.

;)

A box of 22lr and 2 rolls of TP oughta make him/her whole :) this is good. lots of learning to do but solutions are definitely out there. I'm not the type to want/need something and not figure out how to get it. I want to settle for subdivision in apex like I want another butthole on my elbow. I either need both, or hybrid.

Side rant BTW: developers are actually the DEVIL. when we first got here and looked at houses in area I was like 'WTF?" I could be in Massachusetts, Idaho, California, Arizona....theres no character. these a-holes just bulldoze the entire land and build cookie cutter homes. only genuinely like 2 subdivisions so far (Heritage in Wake Forest and forget name of other in Raleigh). But the developers took care in preserving the natural environment and foliage that is characteristic of central NC and its startlingly the exception rather than the norm. I want to 'feel' like I live in NC. I want that relaxing southing charm. Its a shame it doesn't exist in 90% of this area.
 
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For some reason it seems more difficult than it should be to look up what internet options exist for a precise location. any one know the secret sauce for finding this info out?
 
If you have the ability to get an antenna up high on a pole or tower, they make stand alone cell phone boosters that require no broadband. In a nutshell they use an indoor or outdoor omnidirectional antenna to pick up the signals from your cell phone then amplify it and rebroadcast it from the directional antenna mounted up high (and pointed at the nearest tower), and the reverse for the signal from the tower back to your phone. In my opinion this is the best option since it doesn't require broadband, but it's also spendy at $400+ and needing a tower/pole of some sort.

I have a sprint microcell in the house due to poor signal at the house. In a word it's crap. Great when it works, sucks when it doesn't and that's fairly frequently. Sprint has dropped support for that technology in favor of some new BS that isn't offered in my area. I have better luck with wifi calling and that can be spotty too - for whatever my phone loses it's gps signal from time to time and wifi calling will not work without a "home" location. Both of those two options have severe limitations when they are working. If you're on a call when you get home, neither will transition to the wifi/microcell when you get in range. If you're on a call at home and leave, neither option will transition to the cell network, the call just drops. Neither option is viable when the internet goes out.
 
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Will this work? Start with the zip code and then search within listed providers.

https://decisiondata.org/find-internet-by-address/
thanks. that provided few more options than similar source I used...but damn, spectrum not covered at address and centuryLink when putting in address is only 6mbps. will need to get unconventional. Lease 1/2 acre land to company to add relay? ha. no idea yet, but 6mbps won't work for our millennial arses with multiple devices, me using VPN and Remote Desktop often for work, whatever crazy crap my gen alpha kids will be doing...heck I couldn't even download a PS4 game with 6mbps.
 
If you have the ability to get an antenna up high on a pole or tower, they make stand alone cell phone boosters that require no broadband. In a nutshell they use an indoor or outdoor omnidirectional antenna to pick up the signals from your cell phone then amplify it and rebroadcast it from the directional antenna mounted up high (and pointed at the nearest tower), and the reverse for the signal from the tower back to your phone. In my opinion this is the best option since it doesn't require broadband, but it's also spendy at $400+ and needing a tower/pole of some sort.

I have a sprint microcell in the house due to poor signal at the house. In a word it's crap. Great when it works, sucks when it doesn't and that's fairly frequently. Sprint has dropped support for that technology in favor of some new BS that isn't offered in my area. I have better luck with wifi calling and that can be spotty too - for whatever my phone loses it's gps signal from time to time and wifi calling will not work without a "home" location. Both of those two options have severe limitations when they are working. If you're on a call when you get home, neither will transition to the wifi/microcell when you get in range. If you're on a call at home and leave, neither option will transition to the cell network, the call just drops. Neither option is viable when the internet goes out.

thanks for info! 400$ for what sounds like a robust and reliable personal cell tower is unquestionably worth it to me. I take meeting calls frequently can't be having those drop regularly. will look into this...
 
I have a property in north Hillsborough if that's the same as yours. I do some occasional shooting, though I haven't run shooting drills on it, but so far no complaints in neighbors. I shoot from inside the woods a bit and downwards into a dried up former stream. A lot of shots can be heard during hunting seasons.
 
On the eastern end of northern OC we are limited to about 4mbps down/<1mbps up DSL through CenturyLink. I check with them every year or so to see if they can upgrade but they always say there are no plans to upgrade service in our area.

You may be in range of the new rural broadband service over near Cedar Grove. That should offer around 20mbps.

Good news is we get decent coverage from both Verizon and FirstNet/ATT, so I usually just share a phone connection for work and leave the DSL free for the kids Netflix or YouTube streaming.
 
with 30 and fenced off pastures, I would definitely have some grazing animals to assist, allow a neighbor to have his livestock graze or similar. Otherwise will pay to have someone cut at least the pastures.

I will likely need to do something of this nature anyway to maintain the tax exemptions. I have been digging into the deed books, but not very clear to my inexperienced eye exactly what’s going on...will continue doing hw today and have solid questions for at least realtor on that front
You could check with the USDA about some CRP programs that would possibly pay you to plant trees on that pasture land, and reduce your tax load. Longleafs would also provide income through pinestraw raking in a few years. The trees would also cut down on the noise your neighbors would hear from shooting.
 
You could check with the USDA about some CRP programs that would possibly pay you to plant trees on that pasture land, and reduce your tax load. Longleafs would also provide income through pinestraw raking in a few years. The trees would also cut down on the noise your neighbors would hear from shooting.

Thanks for info. Been very overwhelmed at moment tryi to learn about the agriculture/farming related benefits. Current owner already does something to get about 100k off market vakue for tax assessment
 
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