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Old 10-26-2010, 06:35 PM
 
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my entire family will move in January to SC, the problem is where. We like Blythewood what is close to Columbia, now we found houses in Camden, please can someone tell us what Camden has to offer. Also about Elgin and the neighborhood. What is a good place for a family to move? Children are 12,9,6 and 3 dogs.Thank you for all your comments
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Old 10-26-2010, 08:19 PM
 
Location: Columbia, SC
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Where will you be working?
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Old 10-27-2010, 06:27 AM
 
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hospital setting, ultrasound tech. Will also looking into to complete my College degree
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Old 10-27-2010, 07:31 AM
 
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As for Elgin, I know that Lugoff-Elgin High was one of the top 5 schools in the state last year, and received awards for their achievements.
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Old 10-27-2010, 08:29 AM
 
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Camden appears to becoming an increasingly desirable place to live. They appear to be evolving into more of a Columbia suburb as opposed to a separate and distinct community (similiar to Newberry in the NW). If you work in NE Cola.. Camden may be a nice alternative or even if you work in Blythewood or Sumter depending on your choice of lifestyle. I had heard that they will be widening I-20 at somepoint which will make it easier to get into Columbia.

As far as Lugoff-Elgin goes.. one is "Yeee" the other is "Hawww"

Seriously, these areas are gradually becoming more suburban in sections particuliarly in the vicinity of US 1. Lugoff was considering incorporating into an actual town at one point. Census numbers would have made it the largest town in Kershaw outstripping Camden, the County Seat, as the biggest city. That measure failed but the area still is desirable for a variety of reasons
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Old 10-27-2010, 01:08 PM
 
Location: Greenville, SC
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Nice, quiet area.
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Old 10-27-2010, 01:17 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sportsfan1 View Post
hospital setting, ultrasound tech. Will also looking into to complete my College degree
Are you working in Columbia (Palmetto Richland/Baptist or Providence) or Kershaw Medical Center? And where will you be completing your college degree? Elgin/Lugoff/Camden has no major colleges or universities I can think of, other than satellite campuses of Central Carolina Technical College (the main campus is in Sumter). The reason I ask is that if your work and/or school are going to be in Columbia, from a commuting perspective it may be better to stay in the Blythewood/Northeast Richland area (note that some outer fringe areas and neighborhoods of NE Richland near Two Notch Road have an Elgin postal codes/address). Commuting along I-20 in the next couple years could get a little dicey with the widening construction happening then. After it's completed, it will be much better, as it widens it from 4 to 6 lanes from I-77 out to Spears Creek Church Road (the "gateway" to Elgin, if you will).

Blythewood, as you probably know, is a formerly rural area transitioning to suburban, albeit probably more slowly with the housing downturn. It will be more expensive property value-wise than Elgin/Lugoff/Camden, for sure, but you will have at least a somewhat shorter commute and you will likely have very good Richland 2 schools in that area. Elgin/Lugoff is what Blythewood was maybe 15 years ago or so. I will not discount it - it is a fine option for someone looking for a more rural mix, although there are a handful of subdivisions there that would not look out of place in Blythewood, and at a lower price. Property taxes are lower in Kershaw County, but the flip side is that, although Kershaw County is a fairly solid school district by South Carolina standards, especially in the Elgin/Lugoff area, they are not quite to the level of performance as the outer Richland 2 schools along the Bookman Road-Kelly Mill-Rimer Pond corridor running from Two Notch Road towards Blythewood. I will say that many parents who want good schools for their kids have made a reasonable trade-off with Elgin/Lugoff area schools, such as Dobys Mill Elementary and Lugoff-Elgin High School, where I've heard good things in general, but there are some parents who highly value the exceptional programs that are found at Richland 2 that most districts do not have.

I just wanted to point out what your trade-offs. If having lower house prices and/or a more rural setting are important to you, then Elgin/Lugoff is a great choice without sacrificing good, solid schools. If you value a shorter commute and/or the very top-performing schools and innovative programs, then Blythewood/NE Richland should still be considered. You would also be closer to higher-end shopping in the Sandhills area and closer to in-town amenities, if that is important.
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Old 11-07-2010, 05:39 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sportsfan1 View Post
my entire family will move in January to SC, the problem is where. We like Blythewood what is close to Columbia, now we found houses in Camden, please can someone tell us what Camden has to offer. Also about Elgin and the neighborhood. What is a good place for a family to move? Children are 12,9,6 and 3 dogs.Thank you for all your comments
I grew up in Elgin... visited there maybe seven times this year...

Camden, be careful... bad neighborhoods close to good ones. Make sure you have a great agent. Sometimes a good place is simply a street away from disaster. Although, if you are moving out into the woods, you should be ok. I'd not move to camden unless I had a great agent, someone I could trust... not someone selling their parents place.

Elgin... really depends. If you move out, you will be okay. If you move in the town, you should be ok... there are a lot new developments, which are okay, I've heard.

Elgin is cool... slingshot from Columbia... not bad traffic... no major crime... nice place to live... if you want to settle down and raise a family. There are still some backwards az people there...

I'm still single and could not move back there... it is very country.

I thought about moving back simply for cheap housing and little traffic (compared to DC). I found a job where I could keep my salary and work on my home business... I thought hard but decided against it.
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Old 11-11-2010, 01:45 PM
 
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thanks for all your input, came to the conclusion that Camden/Elgin is not for us. Back to Blythewood, also Lexington and Lake Francis
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Old 11-16-2010, 04:56 PM
 
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Hey sportsfan. Don't be so hasty! I am an RN, and I work at Providence hospital in Columbia. Yeah, it's country in Elgin, but I can tell you that the schools are great, taxes LOW, and I feel safe. We are only 10-15 minutes from great shopping and activities now that Sandhills Mall has opened in NE Columbia. I live on 4.25 Acres, have dogs, cats, even chickens. Cannot see my neighbors from my house! If this is the life you desire, this is the place. If you prefer city or suburbia, try Forest Acres or Blythwood, respectively.
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