Can you tell me anything about Charleston? (North Charleston, Goose Creek: insurance, crime)

[pvjd]

I am a social worker, and my wife and I are considering moving to either the Myrtle Beach or Charleston area from Birmingham, AL. Can anyone tell me 1) Can I get a new home for 200k or less 2) What parts of Charleston would you want to avoid for safety reasons, cruddy housing, etc. 3) My wife and I really enjoy fun things, like visiting aquariums, mini golf, restaurants, the beach, movies, etc., so is there plenty of this sort of thing to choose from 4) Being that I am a social worker in need of a case load, are there plenty of youth homes, psychiatric facilities, hospitals, drug clinics, shelters, etc?

[Rggr]

1. How big of a home are you looking for? By new home, do you mean new construction? 2. You would want to be very selective in North Charleston and very selective in Charleston if you look north of Calhoun St. 3. You can find all of those in Charleston or Myrtle Beach. MB might be the mini-golf capital of the world. Charleston would be better for restaurants. 4. I can only speak for Charleston on this question, but yes there are shelters, group homes, hospitals, community mental health centers, social services etc. I would imagine that you would find those in MB too.

[pvjd]

Awesome. So you said to be selective if you are N. of Calhoun, or anywhere in N. Charleston. Is that considered to be the dangerous parts of town or something? We are looking for something 3 years or newer for 200k or less, is this realistic? Also, are there any towns or suburbs that are close to Charleston, but a little bit cheaper to live that are not necessarily out in the middle of nothing? I don't mind it being a bit rural, but I do want my family to be safe and be in close range to restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals, etc.

[Rggr]

Yes, those areas that I mentioned are more dangerous. There are parts in both that would be okay, but speaking in general terms, they are more dangerous. If you're looking for townhomes, you will have an abundance of things to look for in that range. If you're looking for single family homes, it may be a little tougher. You would probably want to look in the West Ashley, Summerville, Goose Creek areas if you want a detached home that new. You should be able to find something that fits your needs in these areas. None of those would be in the middle of nothing. West Ashley is close to downtown Charleston with the others being about 30-40 minutes out. They also have everything you need. There are some realtors that frequently post on here as well, so keep your eyes open. I'm happy to answer any further questions though.

[Jim3310]

Hi PVJD,

Rggr is pretty much spot on. If you direct message me I can write out all the questions that I would need answered. I would need to know a bit more about your goals before I could zone in on your specific request. It would just be too cumbersome on the boards.

[Home Hunters]

The information provided here has been helpful to myself as well. I have been looking in West Ashely for a home, relocating from New Orleans. However, I have heard the crime might be an issue. Also what about flooding. Is the entire area low?
At this point my husband and I have not been to the area!!

[pvjd]

Originally Posted by Home Hunters

The information provided here has been helpful to myself as well. I have been looking in West Ashely for a home, relocating from New Orleans. However, I have heard the crime might be an issue. Also what about flooding. Is the entire area low?
At this point my husband and I have not been to the area!!

You are from Nawlins and worried about crime? I mean that sarcastically, of course. I love New Orleans--been back since Katrina to put my 2 cents back into the economy. I am so sorry that it has taken as long as it has to rebuild, and double sorry for the amount of apathy that some people seem to have toward revitalizing it. It must be very stressful to be there. I just read the headlines on MSNBC.com about the flooding in Tabasco, Mexico and was surprised with the superior response that their government gave to them. There have been multiple shelters opened, and there are helicopters and vehicles pulling people out, and it hasn't even been 5 days yet (more sarcasm). Good luck house hunting. My wife and I are considering the Myrtle Beach or Charleston area, depending on job opportunities and cost of living.

[DJShymansky]

Home Hunters, not all parts of the lowcountry are in areas that currently require flood insurance. However, being so close to the coast, insurance will always be an issue as lines are redrawn, until you move a bit farther inland.

[Rggr]

As DJShymansky said, the flood insurance lines can be tricky near the water. Downtown is certainly the most flood prone area. West Ashley could conceiveably have problems in some areas but are generally safe from flood. Goose Creek and Summerville shouldn't have a problem. You asked about crime also. The areas I mentioned have some areas that have a little higher crime than others but none of those would be places that I would feel concerned about looking.

[goosecreeker]

There is a facility called Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health in Summerville as well as several nursing facilities and two hospitals nearby. You would have no trouble finding a home in that price range there with some of the best schools in the state. Nearby, Goose Creek is also a great place. You also will find shopping, sports and entertainment in the uptown. The aquarium and beach are downtown, but so are a lot of problems.
Myrtle beach has all those things, but crime wise, you would be better off in Summerville or Goose Creek. Also, you may have read about commutes here, you should see the traffic in MB!!!!!!!!!!