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I grew up in Charleston and just back from Seattle and I LOVED it out there!
I figure there maybe some Boeing people from Seattle on here...
It is such a beautiful city with some cons, but what city doesn't have those?
I would move out there but the lack of sun, cost of living, and far from my family are reasons why I'm not making the move.
However, I can't wait to go back and visit!
To those who have moved to Charleston from Seattle-- what are your thoughts? What was a culture shock to you?
It is VERY different from the South and I like that!
I met people from all over--- all different cultures..
When I told people I was from South Carolina, I could tell some (not all) were a little judgmental of Southerners. Apparently, Seattle has a high number of educated people (or so I was told)
it was nice hearing the different stories and I thought people were helpful and friendly and didn't experience the "Seattle Freeze" on my trip.
I've been to Seattle a lot for work, I wouldn't claim that I lived there. But my observations...
Lowland swamps instead of mountains.
Sunshine instead of rain.
4 seasons instead of 2.
Easier to fly to Europe or Caribbean vs Hawaii or Japan.
Paddle boarding vs skiing.
For diversity swap Asians with Black people.
There's a better mix of food cultures in Seattle yet Seattle doesn't have it's own, vs here it's opposite.
I moved here from Seattle, but I'm not from there. I'm from the Atlanta area. I lived in Seattle for 13 years and then moved here in 2016.
I *could* go into a rant, but there's really no point. Suffice it to say, Seattle and I didn't agree and so we had to part ways due to irreconcilable differences. When people have asked me what it's like up there, I try to be objective and say that it's a nice place to visit-- especially for the scenery and sporting activities like hiking and skiing. The mountains are nothing short of breathtaking when you can see them. Summers are nice, but very short. About 2 months or so of honest to goodness summer, but nowhere near as hot as it gets down here. The rest of the time is marked with constant overcast and anything ranging from a near endless drizzle to days-long rain showers.
Living there is a different matter. You're not hiking or skiing or whale watching or any of those things every day. As an outsider, particularly one of of a conservative philosophical bent, you'll find that people are rather cold and distant. They call it the Seattle Freeze. Natives don't acknowledge that it exists, but most transplants have their stories. The weather can wear you down, too. I never thought I was affected by it until I spent those years living under the endless grey. I learned that one of the reasons why coffee is or was such a big deal up there is because it's a substitute for the vitamin D one would normally get from the sun.
I also learned that something Jeff Foxworthy would say rings really true-- you can find rednecks anywhere. Being a native southerner who has spent most of my life down here, I saw more racism up there than I ever did here. This is why I now laugh when I hear people talk about how the south is full of racists. Ask the Native American population of the Seattle Tacoma area how they feel and you'd probably be shocked.
Anyway, bottom line about the place-- nice place to visit, wouldn't want to live there, and damn glad I don't any more.
I never lived in the Pacific NW but when I was out in Cali, I visited a few times and you're right, breathtaking scenery. I typically found places like Portland and Seattle to be quirky, bustling, and rainy. Lots of cool shops, things to do, etc. Too damn dreary weather for me to ever consider living there, but I wasn't there for long on my visits.
A nice place to visit, but I'm content with good ole Charleston.
I moved here from Seattle, but I'm not from there. I'm from the Atlanta area. I lived in Seattle for 13 years and then moved here in 2016.
I *could* go into a rant, but there's really no point. Suffice it to say, Seattle and I didn't agree and so we had to part ways due to irreconcilable differences. When people have asked me what it's like up there, I try to be objective and say that it's a nice place to visit-- especially for the scenery and sporting activities like hiking and skiing. The mountains are nothing short of breathtaking when you can see them. Summers are nice, but very short. About 2 months or so of honest to goodness summer, but nowhere near as hot as it gets down here. The rest of the time is marked with constant overcast and anything ranging from a near endless drizzle to days-long rain showers.
Living there is a different matter. You're not hiking or skiing or whale watching or any of those things every day. As an outsider, particularly one of of a conservative philosophical bent, you'll find that people are rather cold and distant. They call it the Seattle Freeze. Natives don't acknowledge that it exists, but most transplants have their stories. The weather can wear you down, too. I never thought I was affected by it until I spent those years living under the endless grey. I learned that one of the reasons why coffee is or was such a big deal up there is because it's a substitute for the vitamin D one would normally get from the sun.
I also learned that something Jeff Foxworthy would say rings really true-- you can find rednecks anywhere. Being a native southerner who has spent most of my life down here, I saw more racism up there than I ever did here. This is why I now laugh when I hear people talk about how the south is full of racists. Ask the Native American population of the Seattle Tacoma area how they feel and you'd probably be shocked.
Anyway, bottom line about the place-- nice place to visit, wouldn't want to live there, and damn glad I don't any more.
I've lived in the Seattle metro for 28 years and originally from Oklahoma/Texas. I've always threatened to move due to weather but a good job and nice place to raise a family kept us anchored. We are now entering empty nester status, sold the family home and shopping for the next great place. Our friend moved to Charleston and it looks nice. I agree with the comments on Seattle. Nice place but it doesn't have any exclusive on nice people and the weather is grim. If you love the mountains I could make a case of Colorado offer better weather with the Mountains. Regarding Charleston (or Savannah): how do cost compare? The tax structure is pretty different but with house property tax lower and auto/other higher it looks like a wash. Utility costs with more AC are probably higher but other things like food/dining should be lower. Help me make my case for a move ! My open questions, I want a single family home and should i live downtown or suburbs (no school requirement). I need some type of job but more optimising for beach, water, nice home. Any new communities that people love? thanks! bye, Seattle (shed tear but happy)
I've lived in the Seattle metro for 28 years and originally from Oklahoma/Texas. I've always threatened to move due to weather but a good job and nice place to raise a family kept us anchored. We are now entering empty nester status, sold the family home and shopping for the next great place. Our friend moved to Charleston and it looks nice. I agree with the comments on Seattle. Nice place but it doesn't have any exclusive on nice people and the weather is grim. If you love the mountains I could make a case of Colorado offer better weather with the Mountains. Regarding Charleston (or Savannah): how do cost compare? The tax structure is pretty different but with house property tax lower and auto/other higher it looks like a wash. Utility costs with more AC are probably higher but other things like food/dining should be lower. Help me make my case for a move ! My open questions, I want a single family home and should i live downtown or suburbs (no school requirement). I need some type of job but more optimising for beach, water, nice home. Any new communities that people love? thanks! bye, Seattle (shed tear but happy)
I've not made it to Seattle (yet) but it's easy to compare cities at various sites online. I think you'll find Seattle is much larger and I think house prices are higher than Charleston. I'm betting Charleston is cheaper COL overall.
As for what area would work best for you, a lot depends on your budget and just what you're looking for. Naturally closer in to Charleston and closer to the beaches tends to be higher priced and sometimes by a large margin. It sounds like you might want to look in outer West Ashley and Johns Island both of which are growing fast but still have lots of open areas.
There's something to like and dislike in every place I've ever lived. I don't mind the heat (I've acclimated) so the summers here don't bother me too much and I love the mild winters. Otoh, I'm not to fond of the gnats and mosquitoes that you'll find here. One learns to work around them though.
Seattle has virtually no bugs. Getting a mosquito bite could make the news. We do have rats and mice.
Our budget is 500-800k and we want quality but not size. We may need to build.
My wife is from NOLA so we will learn to live with bugs and humidity to avoid 9 months of gray and living in the nerd forest
Seattle has virtually no bugs. Getting a mosquito bite could make the news. We do have rats and mice.
Our budget is 500-800k and we want quality but not size. We may need to build.
My wife is from NOLA so we will learn to live with bugs and humidity to avoid 9 months of gray and living in the nerd forest
Funny, my ex-wife and current GF are both from NOLA. Sounds like you know what to expect in that regard. Your budget should be enough to open plenty of options in Charleston but a lot still depends on the details, mainly location. Build costs are sky high right now and for the foreseeable future.
Seattle has virtually no bugs. Getting a mosquito bite could make the news. We do have rats and mice.
Our budget is 500-800k and we want quality but not size. We may need to build.
My wife is from NOLA so we will learn to live with bugs and humidity to avoid 9 months of gray and living in the nerd forest
Like LocalHero said, your budget has you well covered. Myself, I live a bit more inland and I don't have direct access to the beach (45 minute drive, depending on traffic), so I'm not paying that premium, but here's an example-- My house was a new build, completed in 2019. It's 2150 square feet, 4 br, 3 full baths, and a 2 car garage. The lot isn't that big, but few new suburban homes can claim any sort of acreage nowadays. I paid just shy of 300K for it. I tried to find new build homes in the Seattle Metro area near where I used to live that had similar specs just for my own curiosity, and all were in the 500-600K range. Down here, that'd practically get you a McMansion, in all but the most exclusive neighborhoods.
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! My open questions, I want a single family home and should i live downtown or suburbs (no school requirement). I need some type of job but more optimising for beach, water, nice home. Any new communities that people love? thanks! bye, Seattle (shed tear but happy)
