Looking for Areas to move in SC, NC, GA for next phase of life.... (Charleston: real estate)

[CT Looking South]

Looking to move south...but need some feedback on areas

Posted 09-26-2009 at 09:23 AM by CT Looking South
Updated 09-27-2009 at 11:23 AM by CT Looking South

HI, posted this last week in "unchategorized"... here it is again.

Hi,

First time blogger... found this site last night and I thought I would give it a try.

Living in Fairfield County, CT and looking forward to the day that my wife and I can move south. We are tired of the "winter" season and the high cost of living in the North East. I have a few years before my children leave for college so we have time to figure out where we want to move to in the south. I am 50 years old and hopefully would not "have to work"... but would if I found something interesting to do.

Looking for more simply lifestyle but do not want to give up on quality of life. Looking for a city like Greenville, SC but maybe closer to the coast. Love the downtown and culture of Greenville and maybe will end up there. But as my wife said, can we find "Greenville on or near the beach"? That is the challenge..

I would love to hear about areas or cities in NC, SC, GA that you may find that would be interesting. I am familiar with Charleston and Savannah... both are great, but looking for a smaller city with charm and lifestyle.

We could spend upwards of $ 500,000 on housing but less is always better...

I loved Downtown Greenville, SC ... the city and the activities seem great (only there a few days)... Also liked the small town feel of it as well... Just that the wife threw in the "greenville on the beach" comment that has me looking further.

Thanks...

Posted

[Jane Miller]

Good morning! I can totally understand your situation. About 4 years ago my husband and I began looking for a place to move South. We were tired of the Ohio winters, and were looking towards retirement. We ruled out Florida and AZ very quickly but the Carolinas were very appealing because we could still drive to visit family along the east coast and Ohio in one day.

We too wanted to be on a coastal town so we could have access to boating and other outdoor activities that one finds on the coast. We also wanted a town that was a "working" city and not just a resort town which quickly ruled out many of the coastal towns. Having access to arts and entertainment, cultural activities, and educational opportunities were on our list. We wanted to live in a town that was diverse and had a lot of energy. We quickly narrowed down our search to Charleston SC. What a beautiful city, full of charm and history, great restaurants, and plenty to do.

What was also a key for us was availabliity of good health care. My husband was a physician in Ohio, and the big draw for him was the Medical University downtown. So in retirement, he now sees patients 3 days a week and teaches at the Medical school and having a ball. I retired from a research career and entered the real estate profession. We can't imagine living anywhere else. Charleston is small enough for getting around easily, but large enough to have plenty to do. You must come and visit some time!

By the way, Mt. Pleasant, a town outside of Charleston was voted as one of the Most Livable Cities in the US, and Charleston repeatedly gets awards for being One of the Friendliest Cities in the US, among many other accolades. I hope this gives you a good insight into this great area.

[g-man430]

Don't come to Greenville. This place is horrible. We weren't ranked the 2nd best place to live in the country by AARP in 2009 and weren't ranked the 4th best place in the country to live in by Relocate-America in 2008. We have a terrible economy: Electric bus maker Proterra considers Upstate for new plant | GreenvilleOnline.com | The Greenville News and Electric carmaker considers coming here | GreenvilleOnline.com | The Greenville News and GSA Business | Greenville, SC | Spartanburg, SC | Anderson, SC We also don't have one of the nicest looking downtowns you will ever see that includes an award winning bridge with a natural river/waterfall: index For you to see just how terrible Greenville is, I urge you to look at this link: Spinatour But hey if you want to move to Charleston which has a threat of hurricanes, hot/humid weather that's worse than here, and more racism among people go right ahead.

[Mark Brian]

I suggest spending some time learning about the area around Greenville SC, because there are many fine smaller towns located within a quick drive to Greenville. If you can read this forum often, and check out the different towns mentioned. Greenville is nice, but it is not the only place to consider in Upstate SC. All along the I85 corridor from the Georgia border to the NC border are great places to live, and every town is different.

Everybody is different and what you might like/dislike and you will need in-person hands-on research. Please come down to visit and plan on just driving around to different areas. There are the lakes such as Hartwell, Secession, Keowee, etc etc. I always suggest checking out Hwy 11, the Cherokee Scenic Hwy to people visiting to see the areas closer to the mountains. Using the various map websites you can even narrow your search to how far it is from a hospital, Walmart/grocery/pharmacy.

Good luck with your search and I know you will have a hard time wading thru all the possibilities because Upstate SC is wonderful.

[CT Looking South]

Hi,

Thanks for your post... We will need to take a look at the MT. Pleasant area. I have heard some great things about that town.

Much appreciated.

[CT Looking South]

Thanks for post.... We need to come down again and check out your city again... Your downtown is great and there is a lot to do there...

[CT Looking South]

Thanks for response...