Confused on relocating (Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant: real estate market, crime rates, home)

[artzeeann]

Hello Everyone.

I plan on relocating w/in the next 8 months. I have been looking at the Charleston area and Bluffton which is closer to Savannah.

I have been reading the threads and are more confused than ever. I am retired law enforcement, a female, 48 yoa, who cares for an elderly mother....well sort of...6 months a year. The cost of living where I live in a small coastal town in RI is killing me and my pension. Recently, I became ill and have not been able to work even part-time. I hope this is not permanent for me. I really can not afford to live in my home anymore. I was attending college for a degree in "Fine Arts", until my illness struck, and hope to return. I am a trained forensic artist but am really burned out from law enforcement. I live in a small town but worked in a big city.

Bottom line, I liked the idea of Charleston because I love the ocean and there are many colleges close by. I am now reading the posts and am getting nervous about bad neighborhoods, crime rates, flooding, etc. I would like to pay about 250K for a 3 bedroom home in a small town near Charleston.

I though Mount Pleasant was the area but now I am reading through all of this and I appear to be wrong.

Suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank You,
Ann

[imperieux]

Originally Posted by artzeeann

I though Mount Pleasant was the area but now I am reading through all of this and I appear to be wrong.

Why do you feel you are wrong about Mt Pleasant?

It's a really nice area and close to the beach. It's not a high crime area at all. And the real estate market is in your favor now so you can buy more home for the money than in previous years..

Is there something that specifically scared you off?

[Rggr]

Do not let the posts fool you. Charleston is wonderful place to live. The vast majority of the crime is in crime-ridden neighborhoods and among drug dealers. Close to Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, James Island and West Ashley have many options where you will be fine. Downtown roads flood if it rains very hard particularly at high tide. The flooding is generally gone pretty quickly and really amounts to an inconvenience. It is not what probably comes to your mind when you think of a flood.

[Barbara]

I am not an expert, but have done much internet research on the Charleston/Mt Pleasant/Summerville areas in the last two years. When we actually visited those areas last February, we found them to be very nice, quaint yet progressive towns. We felt very safe, nothing like what some are saying on these blogs. There may very well be seedy parts of town, but we never saw it (except for North Charleston) and since we are looking to relocate we paid very close attention to that sort of thing. Once again I am not an expert but just wanted to let you know what I saw.

[OleTomCat]

Ann,

If it were me I would take my 250K and buy a little bit of land out near Walterboro, St. George, Branchville or Bowman build yourself a little cottage that you and your mother can stay in and put the 125K you have left in the bank and live off of that and your pension. Get well and enjoy retirement.

Al

[OrangeCountyGirl]

I too would like to find out what scared you off so that we can try to either set the record straight if it's untrue or solve the worry if it IS true.

Honestly, I feel very safe here. I was telling my boyfriend (who is from Phoenix and lived in Orange County and Los Angeles with me) how relaxed I feel here. If something bad can happen, I always imagine it happening to me...but I've really lost that paranoid feeling since I've lived here.

Anyway, let it out and maybe we can help you move forward with whatever you decide.

OCG

[scjj]

They probably read the cost of living thread. That would be enough to confuse the heck out of anyone. You can have 20 positive posts and yet one negative person comes along and that is the only post anyone remembers.

[jevers]

I was also wondering if My choice to move to Summerville this December was a good one. I plan on moving down with my wife and 3 children and some posts on these threads make Summerville seem like the worst part of Detroit. I live in Michigan and that is not what I'm looking for. I would like to find a area that is relaxed, nice weather, safe, and a good place to raise children, If that is not enough , I would also like to make a living as a self employed window cleaner. This is what i do in michigan and i will be keeping my company in michigan as well. Are the negative posts over emphasizing the negative? I hope that is the case. How close is the sub myers mill from the bad parts of north charleston?

[OrangeCountyGirl]

I have to honestly say that when I went to Summerville the first time, I laughed. It felt like I was in Mayberry. It was quiet with a slight breeze and I didn't see a lot of traffic. We went downtown and drove through many neighborhoods, it absolutely has a family feel to it. I really felt out of place, because I was 25 with no husband and no children.

But, depending on where you're looking (as we have established every city has less than desirable areas) I think you'll find it to be charming.

Often times (being from out of state myself) I think both sides are exaggerated. Yes, there is good and bad but it is not Utopia nor is it a horrible place to be. It will all depend on what exactly you are looking for and what your frame of reference is. Come check it out and see for yourself. I think you'll find both sides are right to a certain extent.

[Jim3310]

artzeeann,
I am assuming that you have worked in some bad areas for forensics, but don't live there?
Same thing goes here, although our bad area is smaller.

And jevers, it isn't in Summerville...
jim