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I know there are probably threads, old and new, that contain some information. But, like everyone out there, we're a bit lazy. Here's some background. Family has lived all over but is Southern at heart. Moved to NoVA for a job, COVID hit...job change. Good news is that I can now work from home (wife teaches) and we can now escape crazy politics and cost of living. We have 2 kids and a dog. Both kids are going to be in college, one we know in SC the other looking at grad schools. So we're looking at NC, SC, and Northern FL. We've done a bit of driving around with some mixed results so we figured we'd ask you, the experts ;-)
Budget is $600k ish but have seen a number of houses that would be in the wheelhouse for $400k and up. just need to get a handle on where.
1. Is there a nice area of Spartanburg proper to live? From what we've seen the area is fairly "blue collar" to downright sketchy other than a few neighborhoods around the colleges. We're not looking for country club but rather avoid check cashing and used tire shops.
2. Is parking you car on the sidewalk / front grass a SC thing? We were looking around Moore and this seemed really prevalent in a lot of neighborhoods, even new ones.
3. Things seemed nicer and more along the line of what we're looking for towards Greer / Pelham. Seemed to be a more upscale retail and yards a bit more manicured. What areas should we put on our list next time that are similar?
Think Alpharetta, GA / Frisco, TX / etc.
Also, since we're pretty open what could you tell us would be the big differences between this area and Columbia metro?
I know there are probably threads, old and new, that contain some information. But, like everyone out there, we're a bit lazy. Here's some background. Family has lived all over but is Southern at heart. Moved to NoVA for a job, COVID hit...job change. Good news is that I can now work from home (wife teaches) and we can now escape crazy politics and cost of living. We have 2 kids and a dog. Both kids are going to be in college, one we know in SC the other looking at grad schools. So we're looking at NC, SC, and Northern FL. We've done a bit of driving around with some mixed results so we figured we'd ask you, the experts ;-)
Budget is $600k ish but have seen a number of houses that would be in the wheelhouse for $400k and up. just need to get a handle on where.
1. Is there a nice area of Spartanburg proper to live? From what we've seen the area is fairly "blue collar" to downright sketchy other than a few neighborhoods around the colleges. We're not looking for country club but rather avoid check cashing and used tire shops.
2. Is parking you car on the sidewalk / front grass a SC thing? We were looking around Moore and this seemed really prevalent in a lot of neighborhoods, even new ones.
3. Things seemed nicer and more along the line of what we're looking for towards Greer / Pelham. Seemed to be a more upscale retail and yards a bit more manicured. What areas should we put on our list next time that are similar?
Think Alpharetta, GA / Frisco, TX / etc.
Also, since we're pretty open what could you tell us would be the big differences between this area and Columbia metro?
No, nothing nice in Spartanburg at all. The doctors, lawyers, business owners, college professors, engineers, etc all live in run-down houses with overgrown cars and old appliances all over their yards.
The best thing to do is start with websites like Trulia and Zillow to see the housing costs in different areas.
You really can't go wrong with living near Pelham Road or the highway 14 area. I live near Pelham not far from Haywood Rd and I like the central location.
I'd recommend checking out the Pebble Creek area around Stallings Rd , and State Park road. Powdersville is a growing area as well.
From a daily living standpoint, there isn't much difference between Columbia and Greenville. People generally like downtown Greenville better than Columbia's downtown. Columbia does have a lot of nice neighborhoods on or near a nice lake, Lake Murray.
Last edited by Vaccinated Masker; 09-05-2021 at 02:25 PM..
No, nothing nice in Spartanburg at all. The doctors, lawyers, business owners, college professors, engineers, etc all live in run-down houses with overgrown cars and old appliances all over their yards.
Not helpful but I get the sarcasm.
What I was saying is that I have driven around Spartanburg over a few days on a few trips. I have never found anything more than a few pockets of "upscale" areas. So yes, where do the "doctors, lawyers, business owners, college professors, engineers, etc" all live. Yes I'd expect Milliken employees aren't living in the trailer parks next door to the office.
From what I've found so far most of the nicer places seem to be Southeast of downtown off of Southport.
All I'm trying to do is narrow my search. Zillow / Google maps is great but has a hard time given you a feel of the area as a whole. For example we looked at a nice home in Moore, SC, but this is where we found everyone parked on the sidewalk and grass. Odd for houses in this price point. Also Zillow doesn't tell you that to get to the nice area of Moore from downtown it felt you had to drive past three used tire stores.
Hence I ask the question here to get feedback from those who know the area better.
You kind of remind me of some Charlotte and Raleigh fans that we see post on here a good bit. They are not a fan of suburbs in Greenville-Spartanburg area despite being enamored with Greenville's downtown.
Did you rule out those cities to include the Fort Mill / Rock Hill area of SC outside of Charlotte? Also check out the Mount Pleasant area of Charleston and Hilton Head. You also might consider the Signal Mountain area of Chattanooga. There was a guy in Texas that was considering Greenville along with Chattanooga and he couldn't get enough of Signal Mountain. We don't have anything to compete with it, in his view.
It has been 13 or so years since I have been over there, but I liked some neighborhoods around Willis Rd in Spartanburg, not far from the mall on the westside.
Keep in mind that Greenville-Spartanburg were textile mill towns not long ago and we are probably more rustic than what you are use to in DC and other big cities. You'll see a mix of new and old, affluent and poor. Highly educated people who value the finer things in life often struggle living in Greenville-Spartanburg.
Other people with humble origin stories like it rustic. I feel like Greenville-Spartanburg is the anti-Alpharetta.
Last edited by Vaccinated Masker; 09-05-2021 at 10:49 PM..
I lived my entire life in DC (Chevy Chase/Potomac/then Purcellville before it boomed) until 3 years ago. know it exceedingly well and intensely dislike what it has become. Hence why I (admittedly) got snarky. I moved here to get away from the attitude of everything being elitist.
You’ll find very few HOAs and even fewer McMansions. The wealth here is an old money crowd tucked into older quiet city neighborhoods. Think Chevy Chase/Bethesda before the tear downs began.
To paraphrase Vaccinated Masker — I feel like Spartanburg is the Anti-Ashburn/Brambleton. I hope it stays that way.
Last edited by LynchburgLover; 09-06-2021 at 03:33 AM..
Not sure what you mean when you say you’re “Southern at heart”, then go on to ask “is that a SC thing”. Have you ever been to Sterling? Parts of Alexandria? Manassas? Silver Spring? Wheaton? Lots of houses with cars on the grass. Is it a “Virginia or Maryland thing”?
Not sure what you mean when you say you’re “Southern at heart”, then go on to ask “is that a SC thing”. Have you ever been to Sterling? Parts of Alexandria? Manassas? Silver Spring? Wheaton? Lots of houses with cars on the grass. Is it a “Virginia or Maryland thing”?
Actually, lived in multiple southern states and have been in 100's if not 1000's of small southern towns for business. This was the first time I've been in a subdivision of 400k+ homes with cars parked on the front grass and sidewalks. Sure, in more rural areas or less affluent areas it happens but this was a first in my travels.
You kind of remind me of some Charlotte and Raleigh fans that we see post on here a good bit. They are not a fan of suburbs in Greenville-Spartanburg area despite being enamored with Greenville's downtown.
Did you rule out those cities to include the Fort Mill / Rock Hill area of SC outside of Charlotte? Also check out the Mount Pleasant area of Charleston and Hilton Head. You also might consider the Signal Mountain area of Chattanooga. There was a guy in Texas that was considering Greenville along with Chattanooga and he couldn't get enough of Signal Mountain. We don't have anything to compete with it, in his view.
It has been 13 or so years since I have been over there, but I liked some neighborhoods around Willis Rd in Spartanburg, not far from the mall on the westside.
Keep in mind that Greenville-Spartanburg were textile mill towns not long ago and we are probably more rustic than what you are use to in DC and other big cities. You'll see a mix of new and old, affluent and poor. Highly educated people who value the finer things in life often struggle living in Greenville-Spartanburg.
Other people with humble origin stories like it rustic. I feel like Greenville-Spartanburg is the anti-Alpharetta.
Hey, I get what you're saying. but every city has a bad side and good side, those mill owners lived somewhere. my basic question is if you view the city of Spartanburg as a pie, which "slice" is typically considered the best?
Atlanta - North
Charlotte - South
Dallas - North
Maybe a close equivalent would be Birmingham (an old steel mill town). If someone asked I'd tell them you'd start on the mountain. Crestwood, Highland Park, etc.
I worked in Spartanburg briefly, and the coworkers who lived in Spartanburg were not concentrated in one area. There were people living in Boiling Springs, Lake Bowen, Duncan, established neighborhoods in Eastside Spartanburg where Lynchburg lives, the golf course neighborhoods in Spartanburg, and the westside area that I mentioned earlier. I don't recall anybody living in the Moore area.
Young people probably prefer the westside because that is where most of the shopping is and it is closer to Greenville. I don't know this for sure but I suspect the eastside is more popular with retirees with the hospital over that way.
Is there a reason why you aren't interested in living in Alpharetta, Frisco, Highland Park, south side of Charlotte, etc?
The nicer part of the Greenville metro is generally the eastside of the metro but many of the wealthiest people like the Travelers Rest / Paris Mountain area to the north, and Powdersville/Easley to the west has some nice neighborhoods.
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