NE area near two notch (Columbia, Clemson: middle-class, apartment complex, for rent)

[alex99lee]

I need to find a home for relocating .. not much time ;(
anyone give me some advice about NE columbia?
I find a home for rent that located near two notch.
Is this nice place to live with young child?
any information would be great for me..
thank you

[settlepa]

Personally, I would not recommend this particular area. I don't know the area well but I know that two-notch isn't very good.

[Chi2Midlands]

Originally Posted by settlepa

Personally, I would not recommend this particular area. I don't know the area well but I know that two-notch isn't very good.

This is not quite true - there is a misconception about Two Notch Road since, yes, there are areas along certain parts of Two Notch Road which are not the most desirable neighborhoods. Anyways, there really is no such thing as "the Two Notch Road area", it would be like saying the "I-26 area" or "US 378 area" - these are long arterial traffic corridors with good and bad neighborhoods along it. Some of those who live in the Columbia area but not familiar with the Northeast or Two Notch Road may have an impression that "Two Notch" is "bad" due to what they may see/hear/read in the media or faulty word-of-mouth.

Specifically, once you start around the 9500 block of Two Notch Road and work your way up (northeast) towards Elgin/Kershaw County, most areas along Two Notch are fine. There are some very good neighborhoods along or near Two Notch on this stretch, such as Spring Valley, Wildewood, North Springs, and Woodlands.

I will admit there are areas of Two Notch Road that are sketchier, particularly west of I-77, down through/past Decker Blvd and Beltline. Even then, very nice areas like Arcadia Lakes and Forest Acres are not that far away, although they are not "on" Two Notch per se.

I don't mean to be blunt, but I just wanted to clear up a misconception. Hope this helps.

[Ceezer]

What about in Pontiac? Is the cost of living there any cheaper? US1 runs through there and turns into "Two Notch" around Clemson Rd/Sandhills. It's just a few minutes away from Sandhills and the shopping area on Two Notch with Target, Publix, Best Buy, etc.

[Dolo]

Have you considered Blythewood? It is 10 to 15 minutes from the area but just off of 1-77. Safe area and less crowded.

[alex99lee]

thank you all of you~

these replies give some release..

location is over 9500 two notch but not much far --sparkberry -- anybody know? when I search the map ,this road is near sandhill village..

we have no time for visiting columbia..he is finish final paper with his advisor right now.. so any input about columbia north east area will be appreciate..

thank you

[Chi2Midlands]

Originally Posted by alex99lee

location is over 9500 two notch but not much far --sparkberry -- anybody know? when I search the map ,this road is near sandhill village..

... any input about columbia north east area will be appreciate..

thank you

The Two Notch/Sparkleberry/Clemson area, generally speaking, is fine. Of course, it would help to do a little additional research on the specific neighborhood or apartment complex you're looking at. I imagine the apartment complex at Clemson & Sparkleberry (near the CVS and small shopping center), for example, is a pretty good area - we actually knew someone who lived there and it was fine. Wildewood is a very good neighborhood and is behind that area - I have no reason to believe there's anything signficantly "wrong" or "bad" around there.

Loosely speaking, if you're looking at the Northeast, it is safest to stay near or north / east of Clemson Road. That doesn't mean there aren't other good neighborhoods west of Clemson. Again, Spring Valley and Wildewood are excellent neighborhoods west of Clemson, and there are some good apartment complexes as well (for example, there are some near I-20/Clemson and along Mallet Hill Road which are nice).

Where would you or your spouse be commuting? That would also help in determining where it is best for you to look for a place to live.

[Chi2Midlands]

Originally Posted by Ceezer

What about in Pontiac? Is the cost of living there any cheaper? US1 runs through there and turns into "Two Notch" around Clemson Rd/Sandhills. It's just a few minutes away from Sandhills and the shopping area on Two Notch with Target, Publix, Best Buy, etc.

You would need to do more specific research on individual neighborhoods around Pontiac, since (1) the notional boundaries of "Pontiac" are "fuzzy" since I believe it is an unincorporated area, and (2) there is a wide variety of housing types even in this small corner of Richland County loosely known as "Pontiac".

For example, you have Woodcreek Farms, which is a luxury golf course development, home to University of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier, but further up the road along Spears Creek Church Rd/Bookman Rd, you have Jacobs Creek, a new middle-class development with fairly standard/common vinyl-siding homes. You also have older but relatively stable neighborhoods like Briarcliff - but then you are also stretching into areas more commonly thought of as "Elgin" (which straddles the Richland County/Kershaw County line along Two Notch).

One thing I would point out is that Pontiac Elementary School, while decent, is not quite up to the same level as other Northeast Richland schools in the vicinity, such as Bookman Road Elementary.

I think for anyone looking into living in the Northeast Richland area, it is very important to look specifically at the individual neighborhood, subdivision, development, or apartment complex, as characteristics like safety, crime, schools, cleanliness, neighbors, etc. can vary substantially. While you can make a few generalizations based on zip codes, roads, etc., it is often difficult to succinctly describe, say, the "Killian area" or "Elgin area", or even Blythewood. It's not all that different than trying to describe parts of the City of Columbia - it's easier to talk about Shandon, Rosewood, Keenan Terrace, Earlewood, Elmwood, etc., rather than something more vague like "the Harden Street area".

[salatheel]

Pontiac or Elgin would be great choices. As soon as you go under the highway by Sandhills your in the country even though your only minutes from everything you need. I can vouch for Elgin schools being excellent. Woodtrace is a very nice subdivision.

[ced_lol]

The NE is not croweded very child friendly and i forgot who said it but the two notch road area is not considerd real becasue it runs through many parts of town now if you said the CLemson road area (the best neibgborhoods) it is real because all entrances to the subdivisons are there plus the Sandhills shopin center