Couple Horry County Questions(taxes/overcrowded) (Myrtle Beach, Socastee: sale, houses, job market)

[ange70]

Hi,

i was recently in Myrtle Beach for a vacation and looked at a couple houses while there. I thought the taxes were great compared to what i currently pay in Pennsylvania ($6000+ for 1900 sq ft house). I was given tax numbers in the ballpark of $850 for $250,000 house. then i come across this post :

( Myrtle Beach NEVER NEVER MOVE THERE-Horry County

Started visiting Myrtle Beach about 4 years ago fell in love with it. Was lucky or so we thought, enough to purchase a house . BIG BIG MISTAKE Horry county passed a bill that went into effect May 1, 2007 that tripled our property taxes . We signed our contract April 2007. Had we known this bill was going to be passed we would not have bought the house. We cannot even sale our house because the property taxes are so high)

And am wondering if it used to be 1/3 of $850 and now $850 seems high or did it jump to $2500?

Also I've been told Carolina Forest is one of the more desirable areas and schools were very good, etc....then i saw where the new school built for 650 kids already has 1000 and is expected to keep getting more crowded.

when i was leaving myrtle beach via 501 traffic was terrilble and i assume once you live there you get around without going on 501? is traffic only bad a few months of the year.

I am on the fence as to whether to move or not and was hoping to get some ideas both for and against living in the Carolina Forest area.

can anyone offer any prospective on these issues?

thanks,
brian

[ASC]

I can offer this advice:

1. Be absolutely sure you have a good job before moving, because there is almost no job market here, unless your into the service industry, government employed, teaching, or healthcare.

2. Traffic is horrible in the Summer time, however, in the winter time, some places can seem almost like a ghost town..

3. Myrtle Beach is a wonderful place to be in the summer, but the place dies when October rolls around, and there is nothing to do. So try to view Myrtle Beach outside of the "vacation perspective," because living here and vacationing here are two completely different things. The things that seem wonderful here about vacation, restaurants, shops, and yes even the beach, they all get old after a while, and then what is there? Nothing.

All, yes all, of the people who moved to Myrtle Beach from out-of-state, that I know, loved it for the first few months, and now are miserable, because they found out this isn't vacation anymore, didn't do their homework, and most of them are desperatly trying to get of MB. Even my cousin who is an Accountant lost his job, and is currently working 80 hours a week managing a Surf Shop trying to make ends meet. The job market here is nothing short of terrible, so you having a job lined up before you get here, may mean sink or swim. A move to MB should definitely be something that you take your time on to work every last detail out.

[GJM]

My taxes next year will be about $900 we have a 1600 sq. foot house. To me that is good, I was paying $5400 in NJ, so I can't complain.

I guess it depends on where you are moving from - we moved from Bergen Cty. NJ - so traffic isn't a big deal to me, this actually seems like nothing compared to NJ.

I really don't go on 501 that much, you do learn your way around once you live here. I never felt like I was on vacation when I moved so maybe that is why I am not sick of it. We have been here since March 2007. I find the same things to do in the summer as in Oct. (yes, I have been on the beach in Oct.). The water parks close, but everything else is open.

Yes, the schools in Carolina Forest are overcrowded! My son goes to Ocean Bay and we just got in 12 portables. That is one thing I am not happy about is the school overcrowding, but it doesn't seem to bother him!

I would make sure you have a job - because the job market is horrible.

[creekgirl4life]

The Point of Sale Assessment tax (State Law)went into effect in 2007 and that is likely the reason for the large tax increase, especially if someone bought a home that was owner occupied for many years and appreciated over time. Until the law is changed, (did not pass this year)taxes will be assessed for the sale price, and many buyers are unaware of this new law and suprised by the large tax increase. Horry county may have increased taxes but the POS is likely the shocker.

[usc_gal98]

Originally Posted by ange70

Hi,

i was recently in Myrtle Beach for a vacation and looked at a couple houses while there. I thought the taxes were great compared to what i currently pay in Pennsylvania ($6000+ for 1900 sq ft house). I was given tax numbers in the ballpark of $850 for $250,000 house. then i come across this post :

( Myrtle Beach NEVER NEVER MOVE THERE-Horry County

Started visiting Myrtle Beach about 4 years ago fell in love with it. Was lucky or so we thought, enough to purchase a house . BIG BIG MISTAKE Horry county passed a bill that went into effect May 1, 2007 that tripled our property taxes . We signed our contract April 2007. Had we known this bill was going to be passed we would not have bought the house. We cannot even sale our house because the property taxes are so high)

And am wondering if it used to be 1/3 of $850 and now $850 seems high or did it jump to $2500?

Also I've been told Carolina Forest is one of the more desirable areas and schools were very good, etc....then i saw where the new school built for 650 kids already has 1000 and is expected to keep getting more crowded.

when i was leaving myrtle beach via 501 traffic was terrilble and i assume once you live there you get around without going on 501? is traffic only bad a few months of the year.

I am on the fence as to whether to move or not and was hoping to get some ideas both for and against living in the Carolina Forest area.

can anyone offer any prospective on these issues?

thanks,
brian

I agree with everyone else - secure a job before moving here.

As far as property taxes go, I have a home that is two years old and 2200 sq ft and pay close to $ 600.00 per year. Our land is much cheaper because it is considered agricultural. Our vehicle taxes are anywhere from $ 150.00 to $ 250.00 per year.

I'm curious about this "law" that was passed. Some areas have been rezoned as commercial which have caused problems for some property owners. Do you research before you purchase!

As for the schools, my kid's school has taken on a huge amount of children over the past ten years. We started off with about 13 kids per class and now it has tripled. The Carolina Forest area is much worse.

Hwy 501 is bad but if you are a local, you learn ways of getting around 501 to get to where you need to go. You also learn the peak times for traffic even during the off season.

No matter how many people have negative stories about living here, I love it! Everyone has a different opinion about everything. I prefer my little hole in Socastee and would never move to Carolina Forest in a million years. Some people would rather live in Carolina Forest than live in Socastee in a million years.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by ange70

Hi,

i was recently in Myrtle Beach for a vacation and looked at a couple houses while there. I thought the taxes were great compared to what i currently pay in Pennsylvania ($6000+ for 1900 sq ft house). I was given tax numbers in the ballpark of $850 for $250,000 house. then i come across this post :

( Myrtle Beach NEVER NEVER MOVE THERE-Horry County

Started visiting Myrtle Beach about 4 years ago fell in love with it. Was lucky or so we thought, enough to purchase a house . BIG BIG MISTAKE Horry county passed a bill that went into effect May 1, 2007 that tripled our property taxes . We signed our contract April 2007. Had we known this bill was going to be passed we would not have bought the house. We cannot even sale our house because the property taxes are so high)

And am wondering if it used to be 1/3 of $850 and now $850 seems high or did it jump to $2500?

Also I've been told Carolina Forest is one of the more desirable areas and schools were very good, etc....then i saw where the new school built for 650 kids already has 1000 and is expected to keep getting more crowded.

when i was leaving myrtle beach via 501 traffic was terrilble and i assume once you live there you get around without going on 501? is traffic only bad a few months of the year.I am on the fence as to whether to move or not and was hoping to get some ideas both for and against living in the Carolina Forest area.

can anyone offer any prospective on these issues?

thanks,
brian

I think that you are trying to maximize for two variables (good schools and public services versus low property taxes) that are in complete opposition to each other.

I pay $3,600 per year for the $170,000.00 house here in the Midwest. High you say, but we have some of (if not the best) schools in the nation (no "portables") and other public services. School funding nationwide is largely dependent upon property taxes. That's basically unfair, but until you get the corporations to kick in their fair share (right after they hold the Winter Olympics in Barnwell) that's going to remain the situation, in my opinion.

South Carolina has always opted for low taxes and lousy public education. My relatives there do what has been the norm for the Middle Class in SC since intergration back in the late 60's-early 70's: send 'em to mostly white private schools.

As far as traffic goes in the Myrtle Beach area, when I was there last (2006, acting as the "native guide" for a wedding party composed of people from the southern part of this state) it was the start of prime tourist season, and it was crowded. But as I believe has been stated previously, there are always backroads.

[Little River girl]

Is this true that the property tax has tripled since 2007?

[baylovers]

I believe it is based on the price of the property when it is sold.