Call New Bern's best realtors, BOB BARTRAM, Suzy Edington or Beverly Blakely of CENTURY 21 Zaytoun Raines for immediate help at
(252) 636-7313.
Or click here to Email Us now.

REAL ESTATE in NEW BERN

RELOCATION & VISITORS

LIVING in NEW BERN NC

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

SHOPPING

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT

MISCELLANEOUS INFO

TABLE of CONTENTS- New Bern Relocation Resources:

On this page you can find our exclusive insider tips and click on links for help with every step in your relocation to the New Bern NC area, including the following New Bern Relocation topics:

I. HOW and WHY to COME to NEW BERN NC (click here):

• DIRECTIONS AND TRAVEL: Travel and lodging information for New Bern.
   

• WHY NEW BERN: Read below about Making the decision to move to New Bern and learning about  the New Bern life, whether you're relocating for retirement, military, a new job or a change of pace. Find info on weather, schools, health care, taxes, activities and more.

II. SETTING up HOUSE in NEW BERN (click here):

• BUY A HOME: Exploring our neighborhoods, and buying a home with help from the Bartram Team of CENTURY 21 Zaytoun Raines Associates.
   

• MOVING: Finding movers and storage facilities, getting help with all the moving logistics from local Relocation Services,

• UTILITIES and REPAIRS: Hooking up utilities and making home improvements, setting up home maintenance, and even shopping for your home.
   

III. YOUR FIRST 30 DAYS in NEW BERN (click here):

Find information on everything you need to get through your first 30 days in New Bern, including: getting a NC Driver's license and license plates; registering to vote; locating health care for you and your pets; setting up elder care and government and social services; finding local businesses and restaurants and more.

IV. SETTLING IN TO LIFE IN NEW BERN (click here):

Now that you've moved in, read on how to settle into the New Bern Life from meeting other newcomers, finding activities, exploring the beaches, even catching a movie, and generally creating a great new life in beautiful New Bern, North Carolina!

WELCOME, NEIGHBOR!

NEW BERN RELOCATION RESOURCES

I. HOW and WHY to COME TO NEW BERN:

• DIRECTIONS AND TRAVEL: How to get to New Bern with links to maps, driving directions, and airport and travel information and local Lodging choices for your visit here.
   

• WHY NEW BERN: Read below about Making the decision to move to New Bern and learning about  the New Bern life

  • For Retirees: Why Retire to New Bern?
     

  • For Military: If you're an active or retired member of the armed forces, get Military Relocation information for Cherry Point MCAS, Camp LeJeune and other nearby military facilities to ease your transition and find resources for you and your dependents.
     

  • For Everyone Relocating to New Bern NC:

    • New Bern Weather and Climate, nearby Beaches and Waterways, and our 300 Years of New Bern History.

    • Read about our local Schools & Colleges, Health Care, Taxes, and Jobs.

    • Find out what there is to do in New Bern, with Attractions, Events & Activities, Sports & Recreation, Volunteering and Churches.

II. SETTING UP HOUSE in NEW BERN:

• Find a Home in New Bern by calling Bob Bartram at (252) 636-7313 of CENTURY 21 Zaytoun Raines Associations or filling out our easy Real Estate Requirements form.

  • Book a room to stay while you're house hunting by visiting our comprehensive New Bern Hotels and Lodging page. Contact us to help you get our realtor rate at participating hotels.
     

• Find a mover and store your stuff.

  • Movers We particularly recommend John's Service Company. Contact owner John Hunter for a quote today at (252) 637-4146. He can move you across country or across town and beats the major moving companies' rates every time.

  • Household Storage Facilities in New Bern

  • Boat Storage in New Bern

• Ease the pain of moving to a new area with New Bern Relocation Services.

  • Contact BB&T bank's excellent Relocation Department for packets of useful information for relocating to New Bern, from maps to driver's handbooks and more. PLUS they help you hook up all your utilities! Contact Debbie Hargett, BB&T's New Bern Relocation Specialist, at (252) 638-7188.

• Hook up your home's utilities:

  • Hook up your electricity, water, sewer or septic, gas, and other utilities with the contact information found on our exclusive Utilities page.

  • If you set up an account with BB&T and use their relocation services listed above, they will make many of these arrangements for you.
     

• Shop for Your New Home, including:

  • Home Furnishings at furniture stores, Target, Staples, Wal-Mart, JC Penney or Belk.

  • Home Appliances at Home Appliances Dealers (including Lowes Home Improvement off MLK Blvd next to Wal-Mart, Sears Appliance Store, Ferguson and others),

  • Flooring: at carpet and rug dealers, tile & ceramic dealers, floor laying & refinishing including wood floors.

• Make Home Improvements

  • Home Renovations and Repairs, including:

    • Hire a painter or home decorator ( and

    • Hire contractors who perform home improvement and repair services.

    • NOTE: Call Bob Bartram for recommendations.

  • Find a hardware store. The main three are Lowes Home Improvement Center, Tru Value Hardware Store, and Mitchell's Hardware Store.
     

• Set up Home Maintenance Services, including:

  • Lawn Services

  • Pest Control Services

  • Home Cleaning Services

  • (again, call Bob Bartram at (252) 636-7313 for recommendations.).

III. YOUR FIRST 30 DAYS in NEW BERN:

• Go out to eat to take a break from unpacking!

  • Visit our New Bern Restaurant Reviews and Dining Guide for suggestions.
     

• Get the paper delivered and hook up TV:

  • Set up local newspaper delivery,

  • Hook up cable or satellite TV,

  • Find local radio and TV stations in New Bern
     

• Get a NC Driver's License.
   

  • NC LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

    • Read about NC licensing requirements at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles DMV web site.
       

  • DRIVER'S LICENSE OFFICE IN NEW BERN: You take your NC driver's test  and get renewals at the NC DMV office at  2106 Neuse Boulevard. Their direct phone number is (252) 514-4734. 

    • Be prepared to take a number and wait!!!
       

  • DOCUMENTATION TO BRING WITH YOU:  Proof of residency and auto liability insurance for NC are required in addition to your Social Security card or documentation issued by the United States Government indicating legal presence. If you are getting a license, learner permit or an ID card for the first time in North Carolina, you will need to provide the following documentation:
     

    • NC LIABILITY AUTO INSURANCE: For a driver license you will also need to show proof of Automobile Liability Insurance if you will be driving a personal vehicle or something other than a fleet vehicle (rental car, company car).Contact your insurance company to change insurance coverage for New Bern before going to get your NC Driver's License.
       
    • UNDER 18 DOCUMENTATION: Additional Documents are required for Applicants under age 18.
        
    • NC RESIDENCY: You must provide proof of proof of your residency in North Carolina (separate from your legal residency in the United States). This proof must include your name and your current North Carolina Residence Address (click here for examples of documentation that can be provided). This proof come on military orders, a printed bank statement, lease, NC vehicle registration, property tax statement, etc.
       

    • PROOF of AGE, IDENTITY and LEGAL RESIDENCY: The NC DMV requires proof of your full name, age, and legal presence in the US with your social security number (SSN) card and documents issued by the United States Government indicating legal presence. Click here for more details on specific NEW legal documentation requirements in the "North Carolina Driver's Handbook Chapter 1 - Requirements".
       

      • PROOF of AGE and IDENTITY: To prove your name and age, you must present two documents from this DMV list. The name must be the same on both documents and at least one must reflect the date of birth. The documents cannot come from the same category (e.g. two school documents). Click here to read examples of allowable documents proving your Age and Identity.

        • At least one of these two documents must reflect your full name, including your middle name. If both forms of identification has only a middle initial, and your birth certificate is not one of the forms of identification you are presenting, you must present certified documentation indicating the same.

        • At least one form of identification must include your date of birth.
           

      • PROOF OF LEGAL RESIDENCY:

        • SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: You must provide proof of your Social Security Number.

          • Click here to request a new or replacement Social Security Card on the Social Security Administration web site.
             

        • US PASSPORT OR VISA: Due to the new legal residency credential requirements in the state of North Carolina, you must provide verifiable proof of legal presence and bring at least two forms of government-issued identification with you., such as a US Passport, certified US birth certificate,.or a valid legal residency Visa or Green Card issued by a US Government Agency.
           

        • CERTIFIED US BIRTH CERTIFICATE: WARNING: The certified birth certificate must be an official certificate issued by the state with a notarized seal, NOT the cute certificate issued by the hospital with your baby footprints on it!

          • Click here for the National Center of Health Statistics web site on how to obtain Vital Records, including official birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, name changes and divorce decrees in the state in which the event occurred.

          • If you were an American citizen born abroad, click here for information on how to obtain a  Certified Copy of a Consular Report of a US Birth Abroad.

         

  • TESTING: To get a new NC driver's license, you must complete and pass first the road sign and vision tests. If you require glasses to see these, it will be noted on your license. Then you will asked to sit down and take the tricky the written NC driver's exam (via computer terminal) and based on the NC Driver's Handbook. If you surrender a valid license from another state, the road test requirement is at the discretion of the Examiner.
     

    • WRITTEN NC DRIVER'S EXAM: The exam can be a little tricky if you haven't done one in a while, so we recommend you study in advance by:

      • Picking up a DMV Driver's Examination review booklet to study before the exam at the New Bern NC DMV office at  2106 Neuse Boulevard (next to Craven Memorial Hospital), or

      • Reading the NC Driver's Handbook online at the DMV web site and download a printable version as well. 
         

    • MOVING TO NC FROM ANOTHER STATE or COUNTRY: Unfortunately, out-of-state (or international) drivers with a current non-NC driver's license are required in NC to take a written driver's test and vision test to get licensed in NC.
       

  • MOTOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND ORGAN DONOR DESIGNATION: After you pass the test, you can also register to vote and denote whether you wish to be an organ donor.
     

  • TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT DRIVER'S LICENSE: Due to the new documentation law, all credentials must be first validated by the state government before your permanent driver's license is awarded. Therefore, once you pass the NC Driver's Test, you will only receive a Temporary NC Driver's License. Starting in 2008, all new permanent NC driver's licenses will be produced centrally in Raleigh and mailed out to your North Carolina mailing address within 20 days.

• Get your NC vehicle title, tags and registration.

  • NC law requires that you notify the NC Division of Motor Vehicles (NC DMV) of any change of address within 30 days. This also means that within 30 days of moving to NC, out-of-state drivers will have get their car registered, titled, and tagged in NC, and then get NC Driver's License. How do you do this?

    Read NC vehicle registration requirements on the DMV web site. 
     

  • NC DRIVER'S LICENSE: To apply for your vehicle title and registration you will need to first obtain your North Carolina Driver License.
     

  • NC LIABILITY INSURANCE: You must obtain NC Liability Insurance on your vehicle(s) to register. Make sure you change over your auto insurance to your New Bern address before starting this process.

    • Show proof your vehicle has current valid NC liability auto insurance. Your insurance company usually informs the NC DMV when you switch over, but to make sure, you should request an FS-1 form (the North Carolina Certificate of Liability Insurance form) from your insurance company to show current valid coverage.
       

  • OTHER ITEMS TO BRING WITH YOU AND PAYMENT METHODS: Bring your current out-of-state title and tags and NC driver's license. Also bring a checkbook, cash or Visa or Master Card. No debit cards are accepted.
     

  • WHERE TO GET YOUR TAGS IN NEW BERN: Get your NC vehicle title and registration at the NC License Plate Agency located at 2505 Neuse Blvd in the Town Park Plaza shopping center across from the Neuse Blvd movie theaters. Hours are M-F 9am-5pm Tel. (252) 637-4524. Fax: (252) 637-4524.
     

  • NC INSPECTION: You'll have 10 days to get your vehicle inspected after you get your provisional title.

• Register to vote.

  • If you don't register when you get your NC driver's license, contact the Craven County Board of Elections by phone at (252) 636-6610 or in person at the County Administration Building at 406 Craven Street in downtown New Bern to get registered and find your polling place. Visit the Craven County Board of Elections web page for more information. 

• Find Local Businesses and Services. (Search the local Yellow Pages online.)

  • Find a grocery store and a dry cleaners.

  • Find a New Bern area bank or credit union.

  • Locate your nearest post office.

  • Look and feel your best by finding the right Hair Stylist or Barber Shop, Nail Salon, and Health Club or Gym.

   

• Set up Elder Care for you or a loved one or find Assisted Living Facilities

  • Elder Care and Assisted Living Directory: Click here for a phone directory of all New Bern Elder Care and New Bern Assisted Living services.

  • In-home Assistance: In addition to contacting Craven County Social Services, there are a number of in-home services available.

    • Seniors Choosing to Live at Home is a new retiree concierge and in-home management service "providing the amenities of a retirement community to you at home", from in-home health services (aides, nurses, hospice care), to transportation, advocacy, personal shopping and 24/7 emergency contacts. Call (252) 675-9927 or 9928 or visit their New Bern location at 110 Fairmount Way, New Bern, NC 28562.

    • Help At Home: The New Bern office of this home assistance company is located at  1202 S Glenburnie Road, New Bern, NC 28562. Call (252) 672-9300 for information.

    • Many local doctors have names of qualified in-home nurses and at-home aides to assist you. Contact your doctor's office.

  • Assisted Living Facilities: If you want to move into a full assisted living community, or wish to know they are available in New Bern, never fear. There are a number of quality residences in the area.

    • The North Carolina Assisted Living Association can help you located facilities throughout NC, including Craven County. Click here for their list of New Bern assisted living facilities.

    • Also, Coastal Health Resources publishes a list of the many assisted living facilities in our area.

    • Several of the more well known facilities include: Home Place and its associated McCarthy Court Senior Living Apartments, Courtyards at Berne Village and Sterling House of New Bern.

  • Retirement Homes and Nursing Homes
    • Click here for a phone directory of New Bern Retirement Homes and life care communities.

    • Click here for a phone directory of nursing homes in the New Bern area.

   

• Connect with Government and Social Services.

  • Connect with the appropriate local, state and federal government services.

    • City of New Bern government

    • Craven County Government

      • Social Services Department including Day care, Adult in-home care and group home placement, and Senior Services including Meals on Wheels. Call (252) 636-4900.

    • NC state government

    • Federal government  and the Social Security office in New Bern at 2836 Neuse
      Blvd. (252) 637-1703

  • Find local public, private and faith-based social service organizations.
     

• Find Healthcare for You and Your Pets.

  • Find a doctor, chiropractor, or a dentist.

    • NOTE: Check that the desired doctor or dentist is accepting new patients.

  • Find Urgent Care walk-in clinics or a hospital.

    • Note that Craven Regional Medical Center is our major hospital serving New Bern.

  • Find a veterinarian or veterinary hospital.

  • Find a pharmacy, including several discount drug stores like local favorite Real-o Discount Drugs, plus the ubiquitous Wal-mart, of course.

    • Wal-greens at 2001 Neuse Blvd across from Craven Regional Medical Center hospital has a 24-hour pharmacy for those emergency prescriptions that just can't wait. Call their 24-hour prescription line at (252) 672-8365.

IV. Settling In and Getting to Know New Bern, NC:

• Meet other "new" New Bernians while having fun and getting to know your new town by joining the New Bern Newcomers Club.
   

• Explore New Bern's Neighborhoods.
   

• Go Shopping in and around New Bern.
   

• Find a Public Library.
   

• Find Events and Activities in New Bern.
   

  • See a Movie. Check show times at movie theaters throughout the area.
     

  • Attend an event (concerts, seminars, art exhibits, festivals, etc.).

    • Calendar of Events in and around New Bern

    • Pamlico County Events
       

  • Visit area tourist, cultural and historical attractions.

    • Read about New Bern's Tourist Attractions on our New Bern Life web site.

    • Search for attractions by county on NC's ECHO site

      • New Bern's Craven County

      • Surrounding Counties: Jones (Pollocksville) , Pamlico (Oriental), Onslow (Jacksonville), Carteret (Morehead City & Beaches), Beaufort (Washington and Avon) , Pitt (Greenville) and Lenoir (Kinston).
         

  • Enjoy New Bern area parks.

    • City of New Bern Parks and Recreation

    • Craven County Recreation and Parks

    • and Parks and Recreation areas in our Surrounding Counties:

      • Jones County Recreation

      • Pamlico County Recreation

      • Onslow County Parks and Recreation

      • Carteret County Parks and Recreation

      • Beaufort County Parks and Leisure Services

      • Pitt County- City of Greenville Recreation & Parks

      • Lenoir County- City of Kinston
         

  • Play or Learn a Sport.

    • Participate in your favorite sport or recreational activity, from golf to cycling to tennis to bowling, hobby clubs, and more.
       

    • Enjoy our water sports like fishing, boating, sailing and kayaking and our many waterways, including navigable creeks, rivers and nearby Crystal Coast beaches, or North Carolina's "Inner Banks".
       

  • Volunteer.

    • Get involved in the community with New Bern Volunteer Opportunities.