My experience apartment hunting... (Charleston, North Charleston: car insurance, crime, loans)

[automated]

about the high prices downtown, but the prices are where they are today because of those buying in Charleston from out of state.

Buying but not living- these are not people in my category. If it was up to me, I would be nowhere near SC. But you gotta go where the work is sometimes, and you gotta work to live. It's a down market right, which compromises peoples' autonomy somewhat. So that's where I'm at.

[Chromekitty]

automated you said:

Chrome- your desire to be a member of the Charleston upper class is admirable, but no amount of defending them will get you into the kingdom. Sorry. And you might want to fact-check who did the work to build those homes the upper crust are inhabiting.


I have no desire, to be anything other than what I am. And the only kingdom, I want to be a part of is the Kingdom of God and I am !!!
Nor am I defending anyone, I simply said to you that based on your very own words, Charleston is not the city for you. You can't change it, nor will it change for you.

And btw....I am very well aware of the history of Charleston, don't you worry about that.

[AllSouthern]

That's the problem. You are comparing a Southern town to Northern towns, we dont' EVER want to be a Northern town.

[automated]

You are comparing a Southern town to Northern towns, we dont' EVER want to be a Northern town.

Dude, no one's trying to steal your southern identity. I just want one bohemian block in an affordable downtown that'll allow me to walk to work (even if it's a mile plus) and home from bars at night so I can go hear some music, have drinks, and not have to worry about driving home. That's not an absurd desire, nor it is one that will impinge upon your ability to be the south. I am just surprised, given the city's reputation, that such an area doesn't exist- a little spot where all the people who don't quite fit in gather- most cities become a haven for that at one point or another.

[OleTomCat]

Ok the first problem is that you are looking to be an 'Urban Professional'. Charleston just isn't that urban, if you want that in the south you need to look at Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas or Houston to name a few. The lack of tall buildings is first by design, second the soil composition would not support large structures like the sky scrapers in the previously mentioned cities.

Sorry Charleston isn't for you....

Good luck looking elsewhere..

[drshang]

automated,

The problem is there is so much tourism in Charleston that it creates a price dichotomy. A lot of the apartments that rent for $1500 a month will fetch almost $2000 a week to tourists. This means that, economically, it doesn't make sense to rent them to year round residents when more money can be made from vacation or short term rentals. Conversely you have the student market which is essentially "18 year old section 8" rentals, meaning, landlords keep properties in absolute minimum rentable condition and rent them at rock bottom prices, which as I'm sure you know, is typical among undergrad student housing. So you have a lot of the middle market going to vacationers and tourists with the high market being a lot of second homes / retirees / wealthy individuals.

Charleston is a great place to vacation, visit and retire, but make no mistake about it, it's a sleepy southern tourist village and college town, not a real city, although it pretends to be one sometimes.

[automated]

TomCat- You're stuck with me. I've got a good teaching gig in a down market.

Drshang- Your fist paragraph is the most accurate characterization I've read of the housing market. And I'm slowly coming around to the fact that "downtown" Charleston is really not worth the ticket price. I did my best to find out as much as possible about the area before deciding to take the job, but there's only so much research you can do from afar. Once our feet were on the ground, I figured I'd be able to find a part of town with some appeal within our range. Now, it looks like we're bound for a boring but very nice apartment in James Island, where my stuff will be safe, we won't have to worry about space, and my girlfriend will be OK coming home at night. Coming from the East Village, we found Charleston a bit scary crime-wise, which is saying something...

I'll say this for the people- outside of NYC (the real center of the universe), I've never met people more conceited about where they live. Some of this rubbed off on me, and I expected more out of the place b/c of how many people said it was so great to live there. There's things to like, and the history makes it unique, but as far as a living city goes, it's just pedestrian. No offense to anyone of course, my home town is a great place to raise a family, but not an enjoyable place to be a young urbanite (roughly the same size as Charleston ten years ago, significantly smaller now).

[OleTomCat]

Sorry, I am not stuck with you, you are stuck with us, I love it here and wouldn't change very much....

I have lived here since 1989 and do not plan on moving away any time soon.

I am sure there are plenty of teaching jobs in the other markets....

As for the industry you said we don't have, you have obviously not done your research, we have a steel mill, two aluminum mills, paper mill, automoble manufacturer, airplane manufacturer and a host of support industries for all of these....

Good luck.....

[automated]

As for the industry you said we don't have, you have obviously not done your research, we have a steel mill, two aluminum mills, paper mill, automoble manufacturer, airplane manufacturer and a host of support industries for all of these....

Are you not paying attention to anything I write? I said downtown.

I am sure there are plenty of teaching jobs in the other markets....

You don't know the market- this year there were roughly 40% less jobs on the market compared to other hiring cycles.

Look, if Charleston wasn't billed as a city, I wouldn't be having this issue. But it's essentially several large suburbs with a tourist area downtown.

The close mindedness I've encountered from some of you on this thread does not inspire confidence. I ask about the existence of a downtown alternative culture and affordable housing for young professionals looking to contribute to the culture of the city (I have 7 years of experience as a DJ)
and I'm met with accusations of trying to change Charleston as if making any change would be a bad thing. You know what? Your "city" (and I'll assume you don't live in the urban area?) could stand an influx of alternative culture. College profs living within the city limits would be nothing but a good thing. Chances are you wouldn't even notice it. It would be a hell of a lot better than the student-occupied houses where the front bushes are littered with beer cans (I'll post pictures if you like of "beautiful, historic" Charleston houses where the yards are covered in crushed beers cans or smashed beer bottles). To anyone with an ounce of pride in their urban area, the persistence of these conditions would be intolerable. These aren't the homes of the urban poor, but of the well-to-do college students. I dunno, if that's something you don't think could stand to be improved, it seems like you're defending the status quo just to defend the status quo.

[Chromekitty]

hahaha, you won't be there long crunchy!!!