summerville experts i need HELP!!! (apartment complexes, renting, how much)

[gradylydon]

hi everyone. i'm moving to summerville in august from ma with my husband and two kids. we're renting an apartment while we look for a house. i'm deciding between the reserve at wescott and the grove at oakbrook. i visited both a few weeks ago. i liked them both but since there are so many elementry schools we don't want our daughter (going into second grade) to have to change schools once we buy a house. so i really want to choose the apartment based on where we'll buy our house so she can stay at the same school. there seem to be so many great neighborhoods to choose from. can anyone give me there thoughts and opinions on the subdivisions in these areas? thanks for your time

[DJShymansky]

Actually, many of the homes in Wescott, as well as the two apartment complexes you've mentioned, are zoned for Fort Dorchester Elementary. It's really going to come down to which of the elementary schools, Fort Dorchester or Oakbrook, you like more for your daughter.

For Fort Dorchester, you're looking at Wescott, Whitehall, Coosaw Creek Country Club, etc.
For Oakbrook, you're looking at a few homes in the above neighborhoods, as well as Bridges of Summerville, Brookhaven, Summertrace, Moss Point, etc.

I think it's going to depend on what you're looking for in your home. How much you're going to be willing to spend and what type of neighborhood amenities you're looking for.

[NS_Highlander]

I don't know much about anything you have listed. But, If you are looking for homes in the Oakbrook area, one I reccomend is Eagle run by Sabal homes. I have spoken to them and seen some of the their work and they have a great product.

If you are into Townhomes, Jessco has some really well built ones in the Oakbrook area as well.

One I would not reccomend is Heatherwoods and this was built by Meridian. I have seen some of their work first hand and I was not impressed. On the particular house I looked at, the builder didn't even put a moisture barrier behind the siding, just bare exposed wood was there.

[gradylydon]

thanks for the suggestions we really want a subdivison with a pool and are looking to spend under 200k. so our choices of schools are ft dorchester and oakbrook. any opinions on either? any and all comments good or bad are welcome. thanks so much. we can't wait to get down there

[DJShymansky]

You can check out the schools' report cards here. Dorchester 2 EAA School Report Cards 2007 - South Carolina Department of Education (http://ed.sc.gov/topics/researchandstats/schoolreportcard/2007/1802.html - broken link) Both schools were recently ranked "Good". I just moved a client down to Summerville as well who's going to be teaching Kindergarten at Fort Dorchester. She was raving about the school. I'd still recommend checking both schools first-hand though, talk to the principals, take a tour, visit the classrooms, etc., before you commit.

As to the neighborhoods, if you're looking for a single-family home, in a neighborhood with a pool, for under $200k zoned for Fort Dorchester, there are about 50 available in Wescott/Whitehall.

For Oakbrook Elem., it would be around 18-20 homes, in Bridges of Summerville,King's Grant, Summerwood, etc.

[ChasHome]

Take a peak at Eagles Nest Elementary too. It serves Whitehall and the neighborhoods on the Ashley River side of Dorchester Road across from Wescott. The school opened this past fall to take some of the load off Fort Dorchester Elementary.

[scrapydiva]

we are currently at the grove at oakbrook until we find a house. so far so good, but my kids aren't school age yet