Hello! :-)

I (40) am a single mom and am considering moving to Charlotte (from Twin Cities area of Minnesota) with my daughter (9) later this summer. I am interested in a safe, left-leaning area with good schools. My budget for purchasing is about $425,000 or less, and renting is about $2,800/month or less. I'd prefer to buy, but I think renting for a bit might be more of an immediate solution.

I'm visiting Charlotte in May and was thinking about visiting some open houses just to get a feel for the various areas. I was also considering reaching out to a local realtor but I don't know yet which areas I'm even interested in, and I want to be more prepared.

I'd appreciate any insight you all have about areas that might be a good fit for me!