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In reading all this chatter, it is really helpful as THAT is the context that one needs to gain breadth of perspective about being there. Thanks
So, the bottom line looks as if Oconee County in general has under-performing schools, 45+ minute drives to grocery stores, entertainment and lack of high quality ongoing healthcare resources. And the cherry on the top is its potential as a redneck heaven. All in all sounds like a wonderful place to live...hmmm...says the man with tongue in appropriate position in cheek...
Matching that with the potential of beautiful peaceful scenery, milder weather than here (Southeast Texas), more distance between the hurricane coast and NW SC, good COL, and the potential of teaching at an affordable income, and making a difference with the kids and community are all positives.
Question - are the housing costs per sq ft in Keowee comparable to the other areas around the area or county? ANd what if renting or retiree housing?
Im sure that down towards Fair Play and areas closer to 85 some of the negative notions of Oconee County exist and to some degree it can be said for other parts of the county as well, but all in all I think it is an inaccurate view of the area.
Lake Keowee and the northern edge of Hartwell near Clemson are some of the nicest areas in the state when it comes to scenery and not to mention real estate. Most of the higher ups and proffesors at Clemson live there along with tons of retirees flocking here as well.
And yes while it may be a 45 minute drive from Greenville, thats really not bad. If you live in the Chapin area in Columbia, its easily 45 mins to downtown which is where most people there work as it has become a Columbia Bedroom community.
I live in Seneca. If you are into nature, it is a fantastic place to live. Lake Keowee is gorgeous! Also there are so many parks and trails and such, you can never run out of finding a new one. As far as anything else? Not so much. There are two very good restaurants, Pesanos and the Lighthouse. Both are very good. Shopping is zilch. It's very disappointing to me because this is basically a resort community. There is lots of money in the area because of all the lake homes. It just seems there is NO development going on. We have lived here 7 years and there has been very little new businesses being opened. If anything, closures are common. We just recently visited Rock Hill, and couldn't believe all the new and modern shopping centers opening. I just cannot figure it out. You would think this would be a growing and upcoming community because of the lake, but there is nothing going on here. Like I said, if you like nature and small town living, Seneca is for you. One more thing. I heard Clemson might be thinking of building a movie theater.
Also, considering grocery stores, Seneca has Ingles, which is a very nice store, but their meat is terrible. I travel 15 minutes to Clemson to buy my meat at Publix.
I moved to Oconeee County 20 years ago from Idaho.
I am surprised anybody would move here if they care about shopping centers, and eating out a lot at restaurants, or expect new ones to be opening up left and right. There are some good employers here but not a lot of them. Most employers in SC and every state are located closer to interstates.
THere has been good growth in both Clemson and Anderson which are two cities that people in Seneca go to all the time. Anderson has a mall and many other stores. It is only 20 minutes away. You could decide to live closer to Anderson and interstate if you want to be closer to shopping.
The economy has been bad in most of the country the past few years and it is not realistic to expect rural areas to be booming.
Rock HIll is outside one of the fastest growing cities in the country.
Hi, I'm considering a move to Seneca in a month or so from N. Central Florida. I'm actually a San Francisco Bay area native of 50 (cough cough) years and moved to FL about 8 months ago to help a friend and now I need out! My biggest concerns are snakes and bugs. I know it's on a lake and there are bound to be bugs but PLEASE tell me there are no yellow flies? Eyelash gnats? Mosquitoes haven't really bothered me much but the yellow flies are horrible and apparently think I'm crack. Little green frogs on the windows? No alligators, right? I'm fine with big cats, bears, Coyotes but alligators are not ok. I'm a dog trainer and have 2 50# dogs of my own, are there places my dogs can play in the lake? Hike offleash? Are there a lot of venomous snakes? As you can tell, FL has been a bit of a shock to me! I'll be coming up to visit in a couple of weeks but know I won't see the summer bugs. Also does it really snow 2 inches? Does it stick? Thank you so much!
Hi Old Adobe..... I live a little South of Seneca and can't expertly answer everything you ask but I'll take a stab at some of this. No yellow flies or alligators. We have mosquitoes in abundance but with a little skin so soft or non-toxic spray, we get by with no issues. Alligators are found further South.....Lexington SC and below, from what I hear. You do find an occasional one in Lake Greenwood or so because idiots bring back "pets" from the low country and turn them loose in local lakes. But overall, no. Someone with more experience around Lake Hartwell should chime in here..... Yes, we have copperheads and water moccasins around the local lakes for sure. You will need to be careful when you have your dogs around the lake, no doubt about that. As an animal mom, keeping my pets safe from snakes is my biggest concern. Others who actually live on the lake may have strategies to help you keep your pets safe. Yes it snows and yes it sticks. The bigger issue is what is called "black ice"..frozen road conditions on overpasses and bridges that cause the majority of accidents here. Wherever you live, there will be hazards that you have to plan for. This part of the country is just amazing..... Upstate SC and Western NC are incredibly beautiful and a virtual paradise for folks who love the outdoors. The COL is much better than the SF area. And while I LOVE visiting SF, the quality of life because of the COL is much better in this area. So save the money by living here and VISIT family and friends in SF so that you have the best of both worlds. Good luck wherever you land! And I agree....Florida's bugs, snakes, traffic and crime are abominable. But Southbeach is sure fun for a long weekend
Hi Old Adobe..... I live a little South of Seneca and can't expertly answer everything you ask but I'll take a stab at some of this. No yellow flies or alligators. We have mosquitoes in abundance but with a little skin so soft or non-toxic spray, we get by with no issues. Alligators are found further South.....Lexington SC and below, from what I hear. You do find an occasional one in Lake Greenwood or so because idiots bring back "pets" from the low country and turn them loose in local lakes. But overall, no. Someone with more experience around Lake Hartwell should chime in here..... Yes, we have copperheads and water moccasins around the local lakes for sure. You will need to be careful when you have your dogs around the lake, no doubt about that. As an animal mom, keeping my pets safe from snakes is my biggest concern. Others who actually live on the lake may have strategies to help you keep your pets safe. Yes it snows and yes it sticks. The bigger issue is what is called "black ice"..frozen road conditions on overpasses and bridges that cause the majority of accidents here. Wherever you live, there will be hazards that you have to plan for. This part of the country is just amazing..... Upstate SC and Western NC are incredibly beautiful and a virtual paradise for folks who love the outdoors. The COL is much better than the SF area. And while I LOVE visiting SF, the quality of life because of the COL is much better in this area. So save the money by living here and VISIT family and friends in SF so that you have the best of both worlds. Good luck wherever you land! And I agree....Florida's bugs, snakes, traffic and crime are abominable. But Southbeach is sure fun for a long weekend
Water Moccasins are not found in the Upstate area. You have to go to Lake Greenwood and south to find them.
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