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My wife and I have both accepted jobs in Charleston and will be moving in 1-2 months. We have looked at homes in Mt. Pleasant, James Island, Johns Island and West Ashley. We know we can't really go wrong with Mt. Pleasant, but What about the others? What is the overall opinion of James Island, West Ashley and Johns Island? It seems like we can get more house for the money in West Ashley (Hunt Club, Carolina Bay area). There are also a few really nice areas on Johns Island and James Island. We just don't know what to choose and be able to get our money back later and also enjoy ourselves the most when living here. Please, any and all insight will be appreciated!!
Are the two job locations downtown? Before I tried to offer any advice about possibilities to consider, I would want to know a person's preference for commute time. West Ashley has many options for shopping and the older sections are close to downtown. Johns Island still has a rural feel to it, and if having more land than a typical yard is important, it's a good option. There are some neighborhoods on the downtown side of Johns Island where you might be able to get to work downtown in 20 minutes.
The reasons I chose James Island are the housing is much less expensive than Mt. P, there are many options for everyday shopping and running errands, and the commute to downtown is easy. I found some nice houses in the same price range on the outskirts of West Ashley, but I thought that if I lived 25 minutes from downtown I'd be less likely to drive back and forth and take advantage of everything that downtown has to offer.
she will be working at MUSC, I am in sales so I will be driving all around the Charleston area. We found a few homes we really like in James Island as well, just didn't know what the "locals" thought about it and if it seems to be growing with more to offer coming. We like the feel of Mt. P and the fact it has everything right there but I do feel that at James Island we will be closer to downtown and will go there more.
You did not mention whether schools were important to you. If so and if test scores and academic ratings are any indication of the quality of a school you want to take a look at the schools associated with a home/subdivision. There are a number of schools on James Island that are rated "average" and "below average." In Mt. Pleasant only one school was rated "average" and the rest good and excellent in the 2007 State Report Cards. If a closer commute time to MUSC is very important than James Island might be a good option.
James Island has some very nice schools actually. Be sure to visit them when touring the area, and actually go in to speak with the faculty. James Island also ranks pretty highly among the "locals" actually and has plenty of neighborhood/area amenities to cut down on your driving time. It's a great area, and I'd only caution you to double-check your insurance costs for the homes you're interested in. James Island is also closer to Folly Beach, so that's always a plus.
If driving time is important, most of the areas and neighborhoods you'd mentioned will put you inside the 20 minute commute unless there's traffic. Coming from Hunt Club to MUSC during morning rush will take considerably longer.
I agree with DJSHymansky...there are some VERY good schools on James Island. I teach at one of them - which has scored an excellent rating for years and years. I have lived in the Charleston area for 24 years and have family who has lived here even longer, so I consider myself a "seasoned" local and can speak with some authority. Here is my opinion on each area (for what it's worth ) :
a) West Ashley - A variety of neighborhoods from different socio-economic levels, some very nice, upscale communities with all the amenities, be more careful of the schools here - but there are some good ones (esp. elementary), heavy conjestion on Rt. 61 during time period people are travelling to and from work, very close commute to downtown, wide variety of shopping and restaurants
b) Johns Island - more rural feel and larger yards, definitely up and coming, very few choices in restaurants and shopping (but that is quickly changing), schools are poor (most residents either send their children to private schools or to James Island schools), filled with rich history and a sense of community and community pride, definitely diverse in communities and neighborhoods, this is a good time to invest here as our property values are climbing in leaps and bounds (my home on an acre has multipled X 4 in the 14 years since I bought it), we are 15 minutes to downtown, 20 minutes to Folly Beach, and 15 minutes to Kiawah and Beachwalker Park. We are also close to Angel Oak, the only local winery, and the only working tea plantation in the U.S.
c) James Island - very warm sense of community, typical small-town feel neighborhoods, parents are very invested in the schools and in the local recreation/sports programs, surrounded by water for boating, fishing, swimming, surfing, etc., 10 - 15 minutes down to Folly Beach, 5 minutes to downtown, nice mix of neighborhoods: older, settled, large yards and mature trees; newer middle class subdivisions both with and without amenities, and upscale communities ($500,000 and up) with very large yards, good to great schools (only 2 that I would not recommend), limited shopping, nice variety of restaurants
I hope that gives you an objective view of the 4 areas you mentioned. If you have children, I would recommend James Island, just because of the schools. If you don't have children, any of them would be wonderful places to live. You really need to get out and drive around to see them for yourself, though.
James Island does have some good schools. It is true that Stiles Point Elementary School has scored an "excellent" on the state report card for many years and James Island High School "good" the past two years. However, James Island Middle, Ft. Johnson Middle and James Island Elementary Schools scored "Ave" last year and Murray-Lasaine Elementary scored "below average" the last few years. I and I believe most of the forum members are only suggesting that you need to do your homework when deciding where you would like to live if you have school age children who will be going to public school and you put any importance on the state's ratings.
West Ashley has more shopping choices than James Island, but I don't like the traffic there. I'm not sure what SCBeaches meant by "limited shopping" on James Island, but one of the reasons I like James Island so much for my situation is that I can do my everyday shopping and errands here (five different grocery chains, two Wachovia and two Bank of America locations, a nice PO, a few drug stores, plenty of options for cleaners and restaurants, a Lowe's, a Wal-Mart). If I need something out of the ordinary, it's an easy trip over to WA. On Johns Island, you really are *limited* in your options for everyday shopping.
West Ashley has more shopping choices than James Island, but I don't like the traffic there. I'm not sure what SCBeaches meant by "limited shopping" on James Island, but one of the reasons I like James Island so much for my situation is that I can do my everyday shopping and errands here (five different grocery chains, two Wachovia and two Bank of America locations, a nice PO, a few drug stores, plenty of options for cleaners and restaurants, a Lowe's, a Wal-Mart). If I need something out of the ordinary, it's an easy trip over to WA. On Johns Island, you really are *limited* in your options for everyday shopping.
I should have clarified that I meant shopping other than for groceries, ie. clothing, shoes, etc. James Island only has Walmart and Cato for those needs and, of course, nearby South Windermere Shopping Center. You are correct about the choices of drug stores, banks, grocery stores, etc. -there is a large selection of those.
West Ashley has more shopping choices than James Island, but I don't like the traffic there. I'm not sure what SCBeaches meant by "limited shopping" on James Island, but one of the reasons I like James Island so much for my situation is that I can do my everyday shopping and errands here (five different grocery chains, two Wachovia and two Bank of America locations, a nice PO, a few drug stores, plenty of options for cleaners and restaurants, a Lowe's, a Wal-Mart). If I need something out of the ordinary, it's an easy trip over to WA. On Johns Island, you really are *limited* in your options for everyday shopping.
I love living on Northern James Island by the ICW. I'm only a mile from the South Windermere shopping center and the Earth Fare and Starbucks there and other shopping and restaurants and only 2 miles to downtown. A few miles in the other direction into West Ashley is lots more shopping including a Best Buy, TJ Max, Barnes & Nobles etc etc etc. A mile or two from me in the other direction is PLENTY of additional shopping, banks, restaurants, movie theatres on James Island as mentioned above and just a few miles beyond that is Folly Beach. I don't think it ever takes me more than 5 to 10 minutes to go anywhere including to Mt. Pleasant. Driving downtown is a snap. It's even walkable.
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