Still in culture shock from moving from Ma. to Ga. Need to get out. Thinking Charleston S.C (Columbia: homeowners insurance)

[ahagg]

Hi all,
Hopeing somebody can tell me about Charleston. Been in south-west Ga. for two years now and totally hate it here. Don't care if I see another farm tractor, utility trailer, crop field or run down double wides full of metal scrap in their front yard. Don't mean to be ugly but it's just not what I'm use to. My husband and I would move back to Ma. in a heartbeat if it weren't for a medical situation that restricts him from being in a cold climate. The people in Ga. have been more then kind to me but I need to get back into the city...any city. Charleston looks a lot like where I'm from static wise but could use some input from people who actually live there. Good or bad I would like to hear it all. I'm 36 now and don't want to make another mistake.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[lorismith]

Originally Posted by ahagg

Hi all,
Hopeing somebody can tell me about Charleston. Been in south-west Ga. for two years now and totally hate it here. Don't care if I see another farm tractor, utility trailer, crop field or run down double wides full of metal scrap in their front yard. Don't mean to be ugly but it's just not what I'm use to. My husband and I would move back to Ma. in a heartbeat if it weren't for a medical situation that restricts him from being in a cold climate. The people in Ga. have been more then kind to me but I need to get back into the city...any city. Charleston looks a lot like where I'm from static wise but could use some input from people who actually live there. Good or bad I would like to hear it all. I'm 36 now and don't want to make another mistake.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi ahagg,

I moved here (Mt. Pleasant) 3 years ago. I'm originally from NY. There are pros and cons to living here! It is very humid here in the summer! The winters are great! However, it is very expensive here and it is very difficult to obtain homeowners insurance. My home insurance carrier just nonrenewed my policy due to being within 2 mi of coastal waters. The replacement insurance is $1200 more per year!

Hope this helps!!
Lori

[GoPadge]

ahagg I understand your situation, SW Georgia is a far cry from the northeast. Have you considered larger metropolitan areas around you? Atlanta, Greenville or Columbia may offer a more urban lifestyle without the costs typically associated with coastal living.

[Michael T]

ahagg- We grew up in the SF bay area, and Charleston reminded us both of a kind of San Francisco South. The way it sits on a peninsula with limited land mass creating a much more "intimate city", not a sprawling metropolis by any means. Good restaurants and bars and the people seemed pretty laid back. As someone already mentioned it is expensive. If it wasn't so costly it would very attractive to us. We are contemplating a move south within a couple of years and we don't want to end up in the situation that you're in.
The last couple of years we've been visiting and researching potential retirement locations. .............. Good Luck, Mike

[FrozenAngel]

Originally Posted by ahagg

Hi all,
Hopeing somebody can tell me about Charleston. Been in south-west Ga. for two years now and totally hate it here. Don't care if I see another farm tractor, utility trailer, crop field or run down double wides full of metal scrap in their front yard. Don't mean to be ugly but it's just not what I'm use to. My husband and I would move back to Ma. in a heartbeat if it weren't for a medical situation that restricts him from being in a cold climate. The people in Ga. have been more then kind to me but I need to get back into the city...any city. Charleston looks a lot like where I'm from static wise but could use some input from people who actually live there. Good or bad I would like to hear it all. I'm 36 now and don't want to make another mistake.
Thanks in advance for your help.

I am from Ma as well (between Boston & Cape Cod) I am here in Mt. Pleasant/Charleston visiting the area in search of a new home. I think this area is worth taking a look at. Downtown Charleston reminded me of Newport,RI. This area has a lot to offer. For us, it's too busy/traffic. We are looking for something in between where you are living (too slow an area) and this busy area Charleston. My friend just bought a house in Ogden, GA and I was shocked she would want to live out in the middle of no where. You discribed her area to a "T"!

Does anyone have any idea where I should look next?

[dsv1496]

Originally Posted by lorismith

Hi ahagg,

I moved here (Mt. Pleasant) 3 years ago. I'm originally from NY. There are pros and cons to living here! It is very humid here in the summer! The winters are great! However, it is very expensive here and it is very difficult to obtain homeowners insurance. My home insurance carrier just nonrenewed my policy due to being within 2 mi of coastal waters. The replacement insurance is $1200 more per year!

Hope this helps!!
Lori

I found the humidity to be not as bad as I was told, but that is just my opinioin. The winters are definately great weather.

As for it being expensive, well, that is pretty much what you'll find in Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island. You can live in affordable homes in nice pockets of North Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville for much cheaper then in larger cities up north. I had no problem getting homeowners insurance, but we weren't as close to the water as M.P. is.

I miss Charleston. The downtown is perfect, I wouldn't change a thing. The traffic on the (two) major expressways gets bad at any river crossing, and the cockroaches are a plenty (which I assume is the same in Georgia). I highly recommend the area though...

[Nausikaa]

You have to remember there are some pitfalls to living along the coast. The cities are tourist cities, especially Charleston, and bring with them many people, lots of traffic, higher prices and HIGH homeowner's insurance, because of the hurricane threat. I don't know if Savannah is in the hurricane band or not. Remember too that Charleston is on the water, and it is extremely humid. Having said that - I love Charleston!

Other cities that might interest you in this area are Columbia, Greenville and Charlotte.

There are some pics of Greenville and Mt Pleasant (Charleston area) on the forum, you should look at that. Do a search.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by FrozenAngel

I am from Ma as well (between Boston & Cape Cod) I am here in Mt. Pleasant/Charleston visiting the area in search of a new home. I think this area is worth taking a look at. Downtown Charleston reminded me of Newport,RI. This area has a lot to offer. For us, it's too busy/traffic. We are looking for something in between where you are living (too slow an area) and this busy area Charleston. My friend just bought a house in Ogden, GA and I was shocked she would want to live out in the middle of no where. You discribed her area to a "T"!

Does anyone have any idea where I should look next?

Another Ma native here who also loves Charleston. We have also just started to look at areas around there to maybe purchase a second home.
Funny you should mention Newport - we were in SC about a month ago visiting my daughter, and we spent one night in Aiken, which we both really liked. Very charming, horses, polo, I told my husband it was like a smaller version of Newport.

[ahagg]

What town in in Ma did you live in? I miss it so much! How long have you been visiting Charleston? MichaelT mentioned good restaurants and bars. That's sort of what we are looking for...some type of night life but are also concerned about cost of living and employment. Like you I don't think I wan't to be in the middle of the city but on the outskirts of the west end I think would be nice. I'd like to be able to drive 15-20 minutes to get to anything the city has to offer instead of hours. Does your freind like Ga? All I can tell you about looking for a new home is NOT to do it in S.W. Ga. Wish I had found this site before I moved here. Good luck with your search.

[ahagg]

Originally Posted by dsv1496

I found the humidity to be not as bad as I was told, but that is just my opinioin. The winters are definately great weather.

As for it being expensive, well, that is pretty much what you'll find in Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island. You can live in affordable homes in nice pockets of North Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville for much cheaper then in larger cities up north. I had no problem getting homeowners insurance, but we weren't as close to the water as M.P. is.

I miss Charleston. The downtown is perfect, I wouldn't change a thing. The traffic on the (two) major expressways gets bad at any river crossing, and the cockroaches are a plenty (which I assume is the same in Georgia). I highly recommend the area though...

Hope I'm doing this right...still learning how to use the site...sorry! I'm going to check out the locations you suggested, thanks. You say you miss Charleston, so I assume you don't live there anymore. Can you tell me about downtown being perfect and any good locations on the outskirts west of the city? I'm use to the cockroaches now but not the diamond back rattle snakes here. Ain't seen a cotton mouth yet (and DON'T want to) but heard plenty of stories. Thanks for your reply. ANG!!