Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Palmetto Guy, thanks for your additional thoughts. Suburban or urban? Well, there are things I like about both. Generally, there is less crime in the suburbs, but suburban life can feel isolating & stifling too.
Guess I'd have to see the particular setting. I currently live in a suburb. I have a big lawn and lots of high maintenance shrubs like azaleas, camelias, etc. It has been fun to learn how to keep a lawn in top shape and to have these great traditional, southern blooming shrubs, but sometimes I dream of having a tiny (or no) lawn, fewer formal plantings, and space to grow cottage garden flowers and vegetables instead. It really doesn't matter though; I like to grow things, & will adapt to the style of the house and land I find myself with.
I love antiques and old houses, but bought a house built in 1987 in 2006 when the market was sky high! I've done lots of udating - granite countertops, etc., & that's another reason why this move is important to "get right!" The market is tough now. Houses are hard to sell. We will lose money, as values here have plummeted since "bubble time!" It's not as easy as it once was to move and start over if you feel you need a change.
My husband feels he is stagnating in his career and is not ready to just settle, go through the motions and stay put in a job that is not satisfying. He enjoys his profession but is unhappy with his job. Yes, he is lucky to have work, and a good income, but we both feel like we want something different. Are we spoiled and silly? Maybe.
Anyway, sorry if this was too much information! Thanks again for the insight!
Well being that you love old houses, I think you'll find a lot of options that are more affordable in Columbia. Elmwood Park is very historic and has a lot of old homes in the Queen Anne style. You can visit the neighborhood website here: Elmwood Park Historic District, Richland County, Columbia SC 29201
Cottontown/Bellevue is another historic neighborhood that has more turn-of-the-century historic houses. It is adjacent to Elmwood Park and is another option worth considering: Cottontown Historic District - Columbia,SC
I hear what you are saying about nuances, and agree that yes, there are places that require more time to appreciate. There are kinds of beauty that hit you in the face and then there are subtle sorts of beauty that need to be savored. Marilyn Monroe may knock your socks of right away, while Audrey Hepburn, perhaps not as take-your-breath-away-stunning, just gets more lovely the more you stare at her image, LOL!
Exactly why I said spend time and drive around the cities. That's what I did and it worked out right for me. Nobody online can really know your true likes.....you should see the places firsthand. Tealover, also remember you are online where fact, fiction and opinions blur together.......the same person can post under multiple names, that type of thing. Take all advice with a grain of salt and see places for yourself.
I'm talking about the actual cities, the municipal boundaries. Stop trying to pick a fight and stop saying inaccurate things like we don't have options other than things related to USC or state government. That's flat-out wrong.
This person isn't familiar with these cities. So when you say something like Greenville is a small city, it could mislead the op by making them think that it's much smaller than Cola; but it isn't. Their is no fight to be picked! I stated nothing false when talking about shopping options, etc.
Would someone say more about crime? What sorts of crimes are most prevalent? Are these crimes concentrated in certain areas? I would imagine that the residential areas adjacent to downtown could experience more break-ins and vandalism than the suburbs, but that may not actually be the case. (I realize that no neighborhood or town, no matter how nice or pretty, is immune to crime!)
Pal, thanks for the great links! So nice of you. The Cottonwood link is especially beautiful!
GSU, yes I am, "online where facts, fiction and opinions blur together..." I will try to practice discretion and common sense. Thanks for the reminder!
This person isn't familiar with these cities. So when you say something like Greenville is a small city, it could mislead the op by making them think that it's much smaller than Cola; but it isn't. Their is no fight to be picked! I stated nothing false when talking about shopping options, etc.
All you had to do was elaborate on that or ask for clarification instead of trying to insult Columbia in the process. For the record, I'll do it: Greenville is physically much smaller than Columbia and Charleston. Inside the city limits you have nice areas but you also have run downs areas such as the ones I mentioned. So I still disagree with some that Columbia has more run-down areas.
Also, you said nothing about shopping. You said something about us not having options related to government or USC. You do realize that "options" mean a vast array of things besides a couple of stores, right? And since when are stores and restaurants related to certain industries or having colleges?
We have Riverbanks Zoo, a lake, three rivers, a national park, an art museum, a children's museum, several theaters, a ballet company, a philharmonic, an opera, a jazz dance company, and much more. These are the "options" that make Columbia a great place to live. But you don't live here, so I guess you have no reason to tell the whole story.
All you had to do was elaborate on that or ask for clarification instead of trying to insult Columbia in the process. For the record, I'll do it: Greenville is physically much smaller than Columbia and Charleston. Inside the city limits you have nice areas but you also have run downs areas such as the ones I mentioned. So I still disagree with some that Columbia has more run-down areas.
Also, you said nothing about shopping. You said something about us not having options related to government or USC. You do realize that "options" mean a vast array of things besides a couple of stores, right? And since when are stores and restaurants related to certain industries or having colleges?
We have Riverbanks Zoo, a lake, three rivers, a national park, an art museum, a children's museum, several theaters, a ballet company, a philharmonic, an opera, a jazz dance company, and much more. These are the "options" that make Columbia a great place to live. But you don't live here, so I guess you have no reason to tell the whole story.
I don't have to live there, I have family there, and have spent time there. Just ignore my post if it makes you angry. There are plenty of debates on here about the subject. I'm not about to get into another one with you. Ok?
Would someone say more about crime? What sorts of crimes are most prevalent? Are these crimes concentrated in certain areas? I would imagine that the residential areas adjacent to downtown could experience more break-ins and vandalism than the suburbs, but that may not actually be the case. (I realize that no neighborhood or town, no matter how nice or pretty, is immune to crime!)
You're right; no cities are immune. In Columbia, the area with the most high profile crimes center around the Five Points area close to USC and directly adjacent to some bad neighborhoods on one side and some really good ones on another side. It's a bar district and attract lots of college kids, but lots of people from all over patronize the area also. The most recent incident unfortunately involved 8 guys jumping and beating one young man on his way home. Because of that, the city has implemented a teenage curfew which I hope will help. I suspect the perps are from one of those sketchy neighborhoods in the vicinity. But the higher crime areas are pretty localized and, thankfully, somewhat easy to avoid.
The neighborhoods that have been mentioned in this thread are generally safe and I can't recall any recent incidents in terms of crime.
I don't have to live there, I have family there, and have spent time there. Just ignore my post if it makes you angry. Their are plenty of debates on here about the subject. I'm not about to get into another one with you. Ok?
Just because you have family here and have spent time here doesn't mean you know about all of the options that the city offers. You were very inaccurate with your statement and I sought to correct you and I'm not just going to ignore such an uninformed statement. If I may use your own words for a minute but tailored to the situation: "This person isn't familiar with these cities. So when you say something like Columbia doesn't have options other than government or USC related stuff, it could mislead the op by making them think that Columbia's options are all related to state government or USC; but they aren't."
Just because you have family here and have spent time here doesn't mean you know about all of the options that the city offers. You were very inaccurate with your statement and I sought to correct you and I'm not just going to ignore such an uninformed statement. If I may use your own words for a minute but tailored to the situation: "This person isn't familiar with these cities. So when you say something like Columbia doesn't have options other than government or USC related stuff, it could mislead the op by making them think that Columbia's options are all related to state government or USC; but they aren't."
Would you disagree that most of it isn't?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Tealover, also remember you are online where fact, fiction and opinions blur together.......the same person can post under multiple names, that type of thing. Take all advice with a grain of salt and see places for yourself.
