Before moving to Myrtle Beach area . . . (Florence, Conway: salons, real estate, condominiums)

[Undecided2008]

My family and I have been vacationing in Pawleys Island (the mainland though, not the island itself...i wish)for about 10 years, and the difference between MB and the murrells inlet/pawleys area is incredible (in my eyes). While the traffic is still bad, it is nowhere near as horrendous as the traffic in MB, and people seem a bit more laid back (in my eyes) and I just love it. I think MB is nice to go for the day, but it's gotten so crowded and obxious (sp..sorry) that I just don't really enjoy it anymore. I hope the Murrells Inlet/Pawleys area doesn't end up being the same way..=[

[BeachTeach07]

I always get a chuckle when my friends from up north ask me how often i go to the beach. They think I go every single day and that the beach is right down the road or something. They are always shocked to find out that I rarely go, especially in the summer. It is so much of a hassle to find parking and I get so mad watching tourists throw their cigarette butts in the sand when they are done smoking! I would just rather stay at a pool in CF.

[dillonboy]

Whats the deal?
I was planning on moving back to South Carolina after being away for 26 years.

I guess I'll be treated as an out sider as well....

[jarjar057]

How much tax will I have to pay on a 2007

[usc_gal98]

Things have definately changed. It's really sad. This is not the south that my ancestors loved. It's not the south I grew up in. It's not the same old little beach that I used to play in as a child.

For some, this place means nothing but warm weather. For us, it's in your blood and it's your heritage.

I just try to be tolerant of others. Not everyone is rude here. However.....................

[baylovers]

It's not just here in SC, it is happening everywhere. This has become a global community where you can fly anywhere in the country in just a few hours. I moved from NY where you can here a dozen different accents just walking down a Manhattan Street. Throw in the internet on top of that!

[appalachiangirl]

I'm surprised at the rudeness people has experienced in South Carolina. I traveled to the MB/Georgetown/Charleston area for 4 years in a row and about all the people whether they were native South Carolinians or transplants have been very nice and hospitable. Much nicer than where I live!

[burr]

Originally Posted by usc_gal98

Things have definately changed. It's really sad. This is not the south that my ancestors loved. It's not the south I grew up in. It's not the same old little beach that I used to play in as a child.

For some, this place means nothing but warm weather. For us, it's in your blood and it's your heritage.

I just try to be tolerant of others. Not everyone is rude here.
However.....................

To add, we have noticed such a change in our little hometown, a town of less than 20K. There was a time when one could not go out of the house without running into friends, or friends of friends, only ten or so years ago. Nowadays, we marvel at going out and seeing NOBODY that we even recognize - even at the grocery store or Wallys !

I guess the state is growing SO FAST, and change is SO INEVITABLE that it doesn't even resemble yesterdays' world. This is MB, and it's here to stay.

Anyway, I don't like it any more than yawl; it definitely takes a change in attitude...

[V65Magnafan]

Wow! What a thread.

I'm a Northerner, so northern, in fact, that I've been living in Canada to be close to my wife's family. Now I'm retired and I've had just about enough of four feet of snow in my back yard and the whole northern thing--at least for the whole year. The summers are still beautiful here and two hours north of Toronto is just as you would imagine--lakes, trees, rocks.

My family (wife, two kids 18 and 20) spent a glorious week in Myrtle Beach last summer. We met no one who wasn't polite and pleasant. We didn't just hang out in the tourist areas, either. We went to stores, supermarkets, and had only pleasant encounters. Maybe it's because we try to treat all people well. Now that I think about it, there was one guy in a tobacco store who was remarkably uninvolved in his job. Not rude, just not helpful.

Anyway, I have a plan for this spring/summer. Please feel free to criticize anything that sounds naive or just plain stupid:

I plan to drive down in one or two days (about 20 hours) and find and lease a small, clean one br apartment not too far from the ocean but reasonably far from the noisy part of the strip.

How much trouble would I have leasing an apartment? My references are a not local. A credit check would be fine.

Then, I'll have an address and a home base. My wife and I will have a home base from which to see what area of NC or SC we want to move to for half the year. I'm retired now, but my wife still has five years to go. Being a teacher, she has summers, Christmas, and spring break off. (Yeah, I know about Canadians in Myrtle Beach. My family likes the quiet, but we also like some tumult and excitement at times.

Can you recommend any rentals?

BTW, with a rented apartment, would I be considered a legal SC resident?

Thanks for any good advice.

[molliemei]

I lived in Myrtle Beach for 5 years, my husband for 10. After we had our son, we realized it was time to move on. I completely agree that in recent years it has gone from ok to bad to worse. We didn't feel comfortable raising our son there at all, for many reasons!