Few questions (Columbia, Greenville, Irmo: job, hospital, new home)

[shareyourinfo]

My husband and I along with our four children 13yrs and under are going to be moving south as soon as our house in NE sells. We have visited the Greenville area, especially Powdersville and Piedmont for our possible new home. I have been reading many posts on here about Greenville area verses Columbia area. I would appreciate any imput on living the the outskirts of Greenville verses the outskirts of Columbia. We thought we had our minds made up about Powdersville, but I am getting a little apprehensive about the area being a little too rural. We'd like some kind of downtown area not far from a middle size city. Obviously, schools are import and and the tax rate can be on the higher side as we are used to the high tax rate in NE. We have heard things about Lexington that sound good. By the way, we are a middle class family and will be looking for a home in the mid 200's in a neighborhood like setting.
Thanks so much for any imput.

[Brandon Hoffman]

There is a couple of posts with similar questions. Rather than rehash all that you may want to read them. Will it make a difference from a job standpoint? Columbia and Greenville are both great places.

[shareyourinfo]

I have read over many posts on here that are very helpful. It makes no difference from a job perspective as I am a nurse and my husband a personal trainer. Thanks for your response.

[Al555]

The question of Greenville vs Columbia is bound to elicit biased responses, and I am no different. After many years of living in Columbia, the comparison seems to me like a no-brainer. The Greenville of the past 5 to 10 years is far and away the preferrable city. Geographically it is more varied and beautiful, it has a growing economic base, and it has an honest to goodness real downtown that is attractive and vibrant. Columbia, perhaps for lack of money and imagination, has been much slower to re-develop its downtown (Greenville makes Columbia's new Vista area still look like the run down warehouse district that it once was, for eg), and it is a city that will never escape its geography and location. It is, however, as we Columbians like to say, closer to the beach.

[CarolinaSouth803]

Originally Posted by shareyourinfo

My husband and I along with our four children 13yrs and under are going to be moving south as soon as our house in NE sells. We have visited the Greenville area, especially Powdersville and Piedmont for our possible new home. I have been reading many posts on here about Greenville area verses Columbia area. I would appreciate any imput on living the the outskirts of Greenville verses the outskirts of Columbia. We thought we had our minds made up about Powdersville, but I am getting a little apprehensive about the area being a little too rural. We'd like some kind of downtown area not far from a middle size city. Obviously, schools are import and and the tax rate can be on the higher side as we are used to the high tax rate in NE. We have heard things about Lexington that sound good. By the way, we are a middle class family and will be looking for a home in the mid 200's in a neighborhood like setting.
Thanks so much for any imput.

Lexington...in comparison to Powdersville....is the better choice in my opinion. With you being a nurse....Lexington Memorial Hospital isn't a far drive away and 2 Golds Gyms [1 in Lexington, 1 in Irmo], New Life Fitness and other are close enough to you that you wouldn't have to commute very far at all unless you want to. If you want to downtown Columbia is about 19 miles away and The Irmo/Harbison Blvd is within 12miles. The Lexington/ Richland district 5 school system is one of the best in the state and Lexington is growing probably at a faster pace in comparison to Powdersville. It's very very close to the state's 2nd largest lake [Lake Murray] and is less rural than that powdersville/easley area. I'm very sure you will find a wonderful home in your range......My friend just purchased a very nice home in the town of Irmo for $164,000 at 1900sq ft. The house has a pool, ceiling fanned gazebo, storage house, deck, screened in porch, 3bd/2bth, 2 car garage, formal living room area and more that i can't think of. I think it was an excellent buy and Irmo is more populated than Lexington, so you will get something way more larger for that price in Lexington. I know when i was helping him look i saw a nearly 2800sqft home in Lexington for $249,000 and it was in a neighborhood setting.

But to be fair...just survey the area's.....next time i'm in the Columbia area...i'll ride to Lexington and take some pics

[CarolinaSouth803]

Originally Posted by Al555

The question of Greenville vs Columbia is bound to elicit biased responses, and I am no different. After many years of living in Columbia, the comparison seems to me like a no-brainer. The Greenville of the past 5 to 10 years is far and away the preferrable city. Geographically it is more varied and beautiful, it has a growing economic base, and it has an honest to goodness real downtown that is attractive and vibrant. Columbia, perhaps for lack of money and imagination, has been much slower to re-develop its downtown (Greenville makes Columbia's new Vista area still look like the run down warehouse district that it once was, for eg), and it is a city that will never escape its geography and location. It is, however, as we Columbians like to say, closer to the beach.

It's responses like the one above that makes me really wonder..."Why did you even bother to respond to the question". You didn't answer the question at all for them, yet took the time to take a cheap shot at Columbia. The thread starter asked about small towns on the outskirts of both metros. It wasn't asked to compare the downtowns of each. For the most part people in the Columbia thread will not spark a debate...but we will defend our city tooth and nail. If you listen to people from other threads...you'd think the Columbia area was the worst area in the state of South Carolina...when that's just not true......I have pictures of the riverbanks, the canal, the Congaree Swamp and of various downtown neighborhoods that are absolutely beautiful. Let's be honest real quick....Columbia's downtown is more business and university minded....but now it's becoming more residential again......Greenville's downtown is more about urban living. But don't act like one is leaps and bounds over each other because the identities of the cities are vastly different.

[Al555]

Originally Posted by CarolinaSouth803

It's responses like the one above that makes me really wonder..."Why did you even bother to respond to the question". You didn't answer the question at all for them, yet took the time to take a cheap shot at Columbia. The thread starter asked about small towns on the outskirts of both metros. It wasn't asked to compare the downtowns of each. For the most part people in the Columbia thread will not spark a debate...but we will defend our city tooth and nail. If you listen to people from other threads...you'd think the Columbia area was the worst area in the state of South Carolina...when that's just not true......I have pictures of the riverbanks, the canal, the Congaree Swamp and of various downtown neighborhoods that are absolutely beautiful. Let's be honest real quick....Columbia's downtown is more business and university minded....but now it's becoming more residential again......Greenville's downtown is more about urban living. But don't act like one is leaps and bounds over each other because the identities of the cities are vastly different.

WOW. I must have made the silly assumption that a person trying to make a decision about living near one of two cities might base that decision, at least in part, on the quality and quality of life in those cities, and not just its suburbs or adjacent towns. She seemed to be asking for a comparison and I, like you, have some ideas about that. You seem just a tad defensive and thin-skinned in your reaction. You might want to think about that.

[CarolinaSouth803]

Truthfully...you kinda did make a silly assumption...because nothing was asked about the downtown areas... You know what they say about when you assume things. If that was what was really being implied by the thread starter's questions...then i'm pretty sure that that's what the question would have been geared toward.

But look i'm not gonna argue back and forth with you over opinions. Because according to your logic, everyone should move to Greenville and abandon or bypass Columbia right? I get it and like i said....it's all your opinion. But.....I'm not being thin-skinned, but i'll admit being a little defensive about Columbia. How am i suppose to sit back and let you or anyone else put down the place i was born and raised at? Although i'm not living in Columbia at this moment...I really now come to appreciate that city more than i ever did before. The facts about Columbia are out there...the rating polls are out there...The future for each metro is bright and i will never ever get on this forum or another and degrade the progress of one area over another. The beauty of this state is that it does have 4 fairly distinct regions....all with different main cities to drive their interest. None of the growth in each area mirrors the other's growth. So while i could spew facts about Columbia's bright future....i'll leave you with this one question for you to answer for me...... "What can you do in Greenville that can't be done Columbia?" [well 2 questions] What makes the quality of life better there as opposed to anywhere else?

[waccamatt]

I agree with Carolina. I don't know of anything you can do in Greenville that you can't do in Columbia, but I know of a number of things you can do in Columbia that you can't do in Greenville. Columbia has the only professional theatre in the state - Trustus. Columbia also has major college sports, which you cannot get in Greenville.