Questions about Beaufort area (Charleston, Clemson: real estate, crime rate, credit)

[skips69]

I have been offered employment in Beaufort, SC. My questions revolve around taxes, schools and areas to live in and commute to Beaufort.
1) Is one county cheaper concerning real estate taxes than another? If I paid $175,000 for a house and property (in either county), which county would have the cheaper taxes - Beaufort, Jasper, another?
2) I have 2 kids in grade school (Kindergarten and 4th grade). Is there a particular public school we would want to stay away from, or is one area in particular better than another for the school systems? I'm referring to their safety in general and also the academic creditability, teacher/student ratio, etc.
3) Am I right to think that the farther inland I live, I will be able to have a bigger/newer house and larger yard for the same amount of money I am willing to spend (in my case about $175,000)? Looking for opinions I guess concerning which communities stand out as "good", which to avoid due to crime, or otherwise. I don't think Hilton Head would be in my price range for what I see offered, but is Bluffton a much cheaper place to live considering it is so close by?
Any tips, thoughts or opinions would be appreciated and I thank you in advance.

[OleTomCat]

1.) Yes, I don't know the specifics of the areas you are looking, but each county has a different tax structure.

2.) put them in a private school, most of SC government schools are bad, the ones down there are probably some of the worse.

3.) Yes, the further you get from the beach the cheaper property is.

[scjj]

Bluffton is cheaper than Hilton Head, but it still is not cheap by any means either. We are scouting out the area ourselves. Bluffton just seems like an extension of Hilton Head to me with its outlets, shops and restaurants, gated neighborhoods and golf courses. I was just there over the weekend and it is very resort like. I think finding a home there in that price range might be difficult.

I personally don't care much for Beaufort. The downtown is nice, but it is small. It's an ok place to visit for the day, but I don't think I would want to live there. It doesn't have enough to keep me entertained. It also has a high crime rate and from what I have seen I don't think it is that cheap there either. That's the thing about living in any of the coastal areas, they come with a high price tag attached, in more ways than one.

[skips69]

Between the two areas, I am not sure that it would matter to me (personally) what local entertainment there was close to where I lived. I know from being in the area about 15 years ago that Savannah, Hilton Head and Charleston were all in close proximity to seek out fun activities for the family. There was a ton of little beaches, places to crab, fish and cast for shrimp. I know there are plenty of interesting places to visit within easy driving distance. I think there is a level of crime to every area, so that will take a little searching to determine which side of town has that element.

I guess my hope is to find a house either off of the beaten path or in a small subdivision. Taxes are a concern because I see such a big variance where I am at now. There is a huge difference where I currently reside between local counties. A house worth $100,000 here might have $2,700 in taxes in one county and the same house in the next county over might only pay $600 in taxes. That is what I am trying to avoid. Schools are also very important though. I'd be willing to pay more in property taxes if I feel there is a significant improvement in schools between the two areas.

[the victor]

This might be too last but if you work in Beaufort, I'd live there. I've been there 21 yrs and have lived in big cities as well as small towns. I'm college-educated and put 2 kids though public school there, one just started architecture major at Clemson. You just have to keep tabs on schools and teachers. In Beaufort area, the best elementary schools are Coosa, Mossy Oaks and Port Royal. Stay away from the others!!! Some are terrible. Beaufort El might be OK. Beaufort middle and Beaufort high are the best after elementary. homes are expensive but not as bad right now, you can make a deal. try mossy oaks for good combination of price/value and good schools. Or, Telfair, etc. on Ladys Island, with Coosa schools. Bluffton OK but lots of traffic and big box stores, fakey resort vibe. If you work in Beaufort, stay there. Avoid Burton if possible but it is far cheaper. Inland is cheaper but you get what you pay for!!!

[beachme]

Blufton is suppose to be the next big area. I'd look into Blufton.

[skips69]

Thanks to all for taking the time to reply. I will be down in the area next week to start scouting school locations and homes. I have seen a lot of great deals on houses lately - hope I am not too late!

[beachme]

Don't worry ....It's not too late!