re: billboard about leaving for myrtle beach on turnpike (statistics, state)

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by njkate

Nah, I think New Orleans has Miami beat

Beat me to it, Kate!!

[back2jersey]

Originally Posted by AJGIANTS

well think about the philosophy behind the sign on the turnpike.

Maybe I'm missing something here. What is the philosophy behind the sign on the turnpike?

[back2jersey]

Originally Posted by Summering

I have probably spent on average 4 to 5 months a year living in Myrtle Beach.

Originally Posted by Summering

So half a year, for many years, plus after a pause.........some years before that. .........

Summering, I can really appreciate your post and know exactly where you are coming from. Your sentiments in your post could very easily have been my sentiments exactly fifteen years ago when I was living here part time as well or during the many, many years before that when I was here over and over again and I respect your opinions. I was there too in that same place where you’re coming from in this post. I truly had a love for the area known as Myrtle Beach and could see all the positives and wonderful things about the area. The area does in fact have a lot of positives but home ownership (not my condo ownership on a part time basis when I would come here) and my permanent residence here and length of time as a homeowner here has me seeing things much differently now than I did ten or so years ago. As someone who has established themself here, tries to earn a living here and is involved in civic and community organizations, I experience first hand the daily grind of every day living in this place as a long time permanent resident (a local as we’re called). As such, we tend to see things more in the context of the daily grind because this is not our escape destination any longer whereas it used to be. We don’t pack up our bags when Springtime comes and go back to northern climes. We remain here through it all and see many things that are not so positive that we didn’t see before as tenants, part-timers, etc. The longer we remain here, the more we see and the more cyclical many of the issues are. One of the main things is the transience of the area.

Originally Posted by Summering

I know some places for sure to avoid, because of high HOAs and other costs. .........

Again, I’m not playing devil’s advocate here but the expenses related to owning a home in an HOA community have little to do with the amount of the monthly HOA dues. A homeowner in a sub-division with high HOA dues may actually wind up paying out less in total for the year than one in a sub-division with low HOA dues based on a number of variables. Also, due the high changeability factor of the area, a certain HOA may be very desirable one year but quickly become one to avoid the next and so on and so forth. Many of the HOA’s change management companies frequently as well which impacts homeowner’s expenses as well and something they have little control over. A person could purchase a home with a great HOA, wonderful dues, a good management company and that all changes in year or so and the homeowner is then faced with a lot more HOA related expenses than ever anticipated or budgeted for. SC does not have much regulation or legislation over HOA’s as other states do either which gives the HOA’s great latitude and freedom. It’s very changeable here and the expenses can add up very quickly without it ever being anticipated.

Originally Posted by Summering

Especially I would avoid the land lease places where the costs can go up at the land owners whim...Oceanside Village, Windjammers, Jensens, are an example IMHO........ .........

Those are mobile home parks. I was more or less comparing NJ homes to MB homes with the expenses. I imagine the same thing would apply to NJ trailer parks as well with land lease costs. This area does have a lot of trailer parks (mobile home communities).

Originally Posted by Summering

've looked into many, many, places because I would like to own a home there.

Originally Posted by Summering

The one I was looking into is just $70 per month extra, and that was for use of the pools, indoor and out, cable, and garbage.......plus common ground. I think that is very, very, reasonable. Plus, golfing there for owners is just $25.00 with cart, year round........fantastic!! Taxes under 1000 per year. ( closer to 600!) .........

Now is the time to buy here. Prices are down, inventory is very high, it’s a buyer’s market and you should be able to negotiate a great deal. C’mon down. No sense in waiting any longer.

[SIZE=3]

Originally Posted by Summering

[/SIZE]

Originally Posted by Summering

Right now I pay upwards of almost Six thousand for taxes in Pa. .........

Ten years ago, our taxes in NJ were $5,000. I would be paying about $10,000 now. My house here in MB more than doubled in value in 10 years. The house in Bergen County more than tripled and almost quadrupled. I’d say I lost money in that ten year period and why? Because I went chasing after low property taxes in Myrtle Beach. It all evens out in the wash. I feel that I would have more money right now had I stayed in NJ given the appreciation on the house and the higher salary I would have been making. I have a much nicer custom built house with all the bells and whistles in a very desirable sub-division and great weather all year round (with the exception of hurricanes <vbg>). It’s all about what different people want but after living here and experiencing home ownership here first hand, I don’t fully buy into the “it’s cheaper here” hype. It’s great in the first few years but in the long run, the property appreciation is not as high as in NJ, salaries are much lower, professional job opportunities are far more limited, insurance is extremely expensive (almost as much as northeastern property taxes in some cases) and I just think it’s best that people go in with their eyes wide open. I’m not saying don’t move here at all. It’s a nice place. It’s very pretty, homes are very nice looking because most of them are new/newer and winter weather is mild.

Originally Posted by Summering

This community is out of the busy areas of Myrtle Beach and away from the tourist crowds. .........

This whole area is a tourist area. We live in a resort community. If this community you want to buy in is in Myrtle Beach like you stated, then why are the HOA dues covering garbage pickup? Your city taxes include a Pelican and pickup. You are already paying for that in you city taxes. Something doesn’t sound right with that – you might want to double check with them on that. No sense in you paying for something that your city taxes would already be paying for.

Originally Posted by Summering

Barefoot of course is for the very wealthy, and I wouldn't even plan on living in a place such as that........But, for golfing it is a real treat for a group to go out on that course ( get the senior discount from the senior center if you are a long term renter or owner).........The senior center has a great golfing discount booklet. .........

Barefoot is not for the very wealthy. Many of my friends are in Barefoot (homes, not condos) and several are northeast transplants. None of them are wealthy. The community I live in is comparable to Barefoot and none of my neighbors that I know of are wealthy and I certainly don’t consider myself wealthy. NJ folks tend to move into communities like mine and Barefoot.

Originally Posted by Summering

The Grande Dunes is another place that the average person would not be living at....

I disagree with that as well. Someone selling a million dollar home in Bergen will buy a million dollar home in Grande Dunes and they’re average professional folks. Several professional people that I know have homes in there and I think they’re average people. Granted there are some beautiful mansions in there but there are oceanfront mansions as well up in the horseshoe and the million dollar mile that truly would be reserved for the wealthy but a million in Grande Dunes is really not that much when compared to NYC suburb houses in NJ. We go to Grande Dunes all the time to eat and there are a lot of average professional people in there.

Originally Posted by Summering

I do think The Lakes is within a NJ homeowners price range ......and no, I don't know what they charge in extra costs there.......It sure is a very beautiful place. .........

I think the Lakes is running in the 200’s. At one point, I think they were in the 300’s at the height of the boom. Add up the mortgage payment for that, the real property tax, the vehicle taxes, mandatory HOA fees, homeowner’s insurance, wind & hail insurance (hurricane) and flood insurance. The average person moving down here trying to make a living is not going to be able to afford living there because the salaries here are not commensurate with the expenses here. That is why there is such growth in the outer areas such as Socastee, Loris, Conway, etc. because those areas are springing up very affordable homes and that’s where folks are having to move to be able to afford it since salaries are so low. That or mobile home communities (mandatory evac and safety is something to think about with mobiles). Now, add the commute in to areas like the ones I listed above and you have the same problems as NJ – the gasoline expense of commuting in to the beach for work and the wear and tear on the car. I’m not saying that it should not be done by people or that people shouldn’t move down here; not at all. I’m saying that some of these advertisements are very misleading when they have people thinking that it’s so cheap to live here because the property taxes are lower. It’s not really all that different than NJ in that many are struggling to pay their mortgages, are having to work two jobs to make ends meet, and are facing similar problems because the salaries are not in line with the expenses. Some folks are doing just fine; others are doing very well here but there are many who came here chasing their dream of moving to utopia to solve their financial problems and find themselves in a worse mess several years down the road. I’ve seen it all too often and over and over and over again living here. One quick example – I have a friend living up in Little River in a modest but nice house who commutes 32 miles one way to work down in Springmaid. That’s 64 miles round trip each day for that job. She works two jobs – both are hourly and neither offer benefits. She works about 60 hours a week between the two. The other job is roughly 20 miles from home and a 40 mile round trip. Gasoline eats up a lot of her paycheck plus her car is getting older now and she’s putting a lot of miles on it but might not be able to afford to replace it so easily or get it repaired if it breaks down. She’s in her early 60’s and is struggling to pay her bills because her wages are so low. The market is off so she feels she can’t sell her house right now otherwise she said she’d go back north to higher salaries. She has no time to enjoy the beach, pool, golf, tennis, etc. any longer because she is always working and always exhausted. It is really not that much different from the struggles in NJ. She too came down here for years on vacations and she and hubby at one point owned a condo and stayed here part time. They were in love with MB too, couldn’t wait to move here permanently so she and hubby bought a house and moved down permanently about five years ago. Hubby is no more and she is left alone, struggling here and life became very different for her when trying to keep up with the cost of living here on the low salaries. It’s all too familiar a story but it doesn’t mean it happens to everyone.

Originally Posted by Summering

Bugs........lordy me.........We have bugs here in PA that I didn't know of in NJ.

Originally Posted by Summering

Chiggers........a yard MUST be treated a number of times. Gosh awful, little , small creatures..Grubs...........I never had grubs in NJ, in Pa we have to treat for it........I learned that the hard way.
Stink bugs.....Me Oh My Oh.....they can live all winter and nest in your walls......We had to treat to be rid of that.
So my point is, bugs, in one form or another will be in your state. It is something we all have to deal with. Bees, bugs, chiggers, moles, mice........all kinds of creatures one must take care of in whatever state. .........

The south is known for it’s bug and pest problems. I won’t even mention the snake word.

Originally Posted by Summering

In Myrtle Beach, we are 5 homes from the ocean.........we have a canal behind the house. It doesn't get mold.......nothing get moldy........so I am wondering if it is not a general area type of thing. Maybe some areas are more prone then some. .........

The southeast is well known for it’s mold problems. Give your landlord a kudos for spending his/her money wisely on his/her investment. If you see no signs of a mold problem or bug problem in the house you rent in MB, then your landlord is doing a very good job with regular maintenance, pest control, etc. Many tenants are not as fortunate.

Originally Posted by Summering

I have to admit, I don't like HOA's........I lived with that for 8 years in a town in PA and couldn't wait to be rid of it. I certainly agree that they can just drive ya' crazy with rules, and reguations.........Some are for the good of all, like no junk, and no hanging clothes out on your front porch But, I am not a big fan of an HOA at all. .........

There are pros and cons of HOA’s but one thing I can say about them in reference to this area, is that folks moving to this area will be hard pressed to find a new/newer home in a decent community that does not have an HOA in place. The ‘desirable’ addresses in town (MB) are all HOA communities. It works well for some and for others, it is a nightmare. It can be very expensive and that expense tends not to be given attention when the focus is placed on the low property taxes.

Originally Posted by Summering

I have to say that the Primary Medical Group saved my life this winter when I had pneumonia.......The doctor there was just a fantastic guy, who stayed with me throughout the two month ordeal.......Quite a smiling, friendly guy who put me at ease.......with my two lungs full of this awful plague! Thank you Dr M/Teen.........

There are good doctors here; I never said there weren’t. The availability of certain medical treatments, services, tests, etc. is limited however and many are not offered at all in Myrtle Beach. Many have to travel to MUSC in Charleston for their treatments, medical tests, certain surgeries, etc. That’s four hours round trip of driving in one day which is too much for some people either health wise or financially. Some folks don’t mind it and enjoy the trip while some are unable to do it which places their health at risk. Others need to go to Florence (also four hours round trip) or up to Duke in Durham (four to five hours one way). Those on fixed incomes or disability often have a difficult time being able to afford those trips. I have seen that time and again as well. Others make the trip up to Durham a fun event staying overnight and having a two day trip out of it but it’s added expense in living here should one need to go to Duke or MUSC. It’s not like being able to run into the city to Sloan Kettering for example. It doesn’t mean that the doctors aren’t good here; there are good doctors. It just means that certain diseases, conditions, etc. have to be treated at MUSC or Duke because the MB area does not have certain services available. I have seen many, many, many sick friends make those trips to MUSC and have driven loved ones there as well time and again.

Originally Posted by Summering

Temps.........I am one who likes high temps. We just had 100 in DE last week and none of us complained. I'll take it to trying to rid my driveway of ice and having the SUV go down it with no wheels turning.........Yikes. It took three days to get out of the house and a lot of heavy duty chopping. .........

Then again, c’mon down, the water is fine. J No need to chop any more ice or endure life endangering ice skids. No need to continue to pay out almost six grand in taxes up there. You love it here; move on down. No one is saying your opinions on the area are wrong; you’re in love with the area then by all means, buy some property and move here. If it works for you, then go for it. That goes for anyone. No one is saying don’t move here. C’mon down y’all!

Originally Posted by Summering

What brings us to Myrtle Beach is the weather for sure, not so much of a winter at all. Also the golfing........100 courses! A golfers heaven. .........

Again, I’m not playing devil’s advocate but have you stayed through a hurricane here yet? Or have you been in any hurricane evacuations here yet? Have you seen the National Guard in place as mandatory evacuations are put into effect? Or have you experienced returning home after a hurricane with your re-entry decal (certain folks are allowed back; others not depending on where they live and the police block the roads and deny access to those without re-entry decals or the right to be allowed back)? And have you experienced returning home after a hurricane and not knowing what you will find when you return? Yes, that’s all part of the weather. Winters are wonderful here compared to back home in NJ. It’s great not to have to shovel snow and deal with that kind of cold. Heat pumps down here though aren’t worth the metal they’re built with. The dampness goes right through some folks and really affects their arthritis. The pine pollen in the spring is very rough on some folks’ allergies. So is the mold and the year round pollen. It can be nice to cool off on those hot days in the pool or at the beach. Some folks don’t fare as well if they are prone to heat stroke; others don’t mind and like the hot temps. Some people miss seasons, some people don’t and wouldn’t trade the mild winters for snow ever again. It’s all about choices and information. As far as golfing is concerned, yes, this is a golfer’s mecca here but I couldn’t tell you the countless numbers of folks I have met (even loved ones) who swore they were going to either move down here, retire and play golf all the time or play golf all the time once they moved here. Well, real life got in the way of that with most of them and the clubs are collecting dust in the back of many garages. Work commitments, family obligations, crowded golf courses with tourists, the heat, etc. made golf a much lower priority after living here a while for many. It’s ironic to see how many don’t want to play when the courses are crowded with tourists now who may be slow, hold them up, etc. yet before their moves, they were one of those tourists. LOL Go figure. Many are so busy with work and trying to earn a living here and keep up with family obligations that they no longer have as much free time to play golf.

Originally Posted by Summering

I don't mind mingling with all people of different backgrounds......I find the relaxed,

Originally Posted by Summering

down to earth people more interesting then some " holier then thou" types......LOL.........

I don’t think this area is filled only with relaxed, down to earth people any more than I think NJ is filled with holier than thou types. I think this area, like any area, has a variety of personality types. I think there are some vast cultural differences out there in this area with some people who are here from the different areas but they are all experiencing that as well when they meet us northerners. We NJ transplants must seem very culturally different from the ‘natives’ as well. It’s all relative. I still do find that most of the long time permanent residents have moved here from areas of North and South Carolina. This area is a big draw for NC transplants and many NC folks own second residences here. The civic organizations I belong to seem to be filled with NC and SC people who have moved here.

Originally Posted by Summering

I love the little quaint place with the Ice Tea sitting on the tables in pitchers just for ones enjoyment.

Originally Posted by Summering

The shopping is equally as grand as here...........and I am sure most posters towns. .........

There are some really cute places here and it’s fun to explore them but when the daily grind takes over though and people live and work here on a daily basis, I feel they are less likely to place emphasis on things like places that have sweet tea sitting out in pitchers on tables. Their time gets consumed with things like working 40 hours or more a week. In the little spare time they do have apart from work, they are doing the laundry, cleaning the house, cutting the grass, doing the outside work, doing grocery shopping, going to their appointments (dentist, haircut, vet, etc.), bringing the kids where they need to go, going to church, etc. The priorities change greatly as to time constraints and it becomes more and more like NJ with the daily grind of every day living and squeezing a lot of things into very limited time. As for shopping, the same thing applies. Strolling around the tourist malls is something most locals avoid during season. Also, a lot of the shops are geared toward the tourists and not the locals. It’s fun as a part-timer (snowbird) or tourist to leisurely stroll around Broadway in January in a windbreaker when your neighbors back home are shoveling out in 15 degree weather after a nor’easter blows through. But in January here, locals don’t want to stroll around in the cold weather here at outdoor malls. It’s too cold. Besides, they’ve been there, done that many times when they were tourists or part-timers and the novelty has worn off. Plus, they don’t have the time for it. They’re busy with the daily grind. Plus, there are a lot of people who just don’t care for shopping. It’s not enjoyable for many. Shopping is like a marathon event on Sundays in northern NJ but it doesn’t carry the same importance for long time locals here. It’s definitely a been there, done that kind of thing.

Originally Posted by Summering

Believe me if you don't have burst pipes in MB, then you have frozen oil lines in NJ or Pa........so it all equals out.

Originally Posted by Summering

We are required to have all of the pet treatments here also...... .........

<sigh> no, it really isn’t the same; this is another where we will have to agree to disagree.

Originally Posted by Summering

I don't lie when I say I met my High School teacher( NJ) and his wife at one of the home comunities..........

Originally Posted by Summering

I met a school friend ( from NJ)at the community we stay at......
Our friends are from Vermont, NH, and PA........while in Myrtle Beach.
People who lived just a few miles from us here.......became our friend in Surfside Beach.......In fact two couples. One living north and one south of us here. .........

You and others will meet many from the northeast here. Many. There are a lot of us here. There are a lot of Michigan and Ohio folks as well. In snowbird season, all you seem to meet is northerners and Canadians. Most are not permanent residents nor do they have their primary residences here. It makes a huge difference here. Life experience here has shown me the revolving door of this transient area. I have lost many, many, many a good friend from the northeast here who moved here then moved out after a few years. It has always been that way and most likely always will be. It is a very transient area. For every northeast transplant who moves in and moves away, there will be another to take his/her place and the cycle perpetuates itself. It doesn’t make it bad or good, it just makes it what it is.

Originally Posted by Summering

As far as jobs, that is a big question..........I know there is not a ton of good jobs there. If someone comes for that reason, they better be prepared ahead of time. .........

Well, I think that’s the problem – a lot of folks are moving here from the northeast with a certain set of expectations and once the honeymoon period is over with and they realize it’s not like living on vacation 52 weeks out of the year, and they struggle to make ends meet, reality sets in and they make their decisions accordingly. It’s not just the employable age folks either. I’ve seen many retired folks in the mid to upper 60’s or older move down over the years and as the years go by, they either lose a spouse to death or the spouse becomes incapacitated due to a catastrophic illness, disease, etc. That changes the surviving spouse’s financial picture greatly and it becomes a struggle for them as well. It has become extremely difficult to live on a fixed income here and senior services are not as prevalent in this area as they are in NJ plus many of them have moved away from their children who are remaining in the northern states to earn the higher salaries. No one knows what life holds in store for them and no matter how well folks may think they are prepared, life throws curveballs. This may not be a state where one wants to live if that curveball is thrown; then again, it may be fine for some. I think I read online that the starting salaries for NJ teachers and police is 50,000 and 58,000 whereas in MB, it’s something like 30,000 and just under 28,000 respectively. That’s a huge difference in salaries. It’s all about choices and what people value, prioritize and feel they are able to afford. It doesn’t make one choice right and the other wrong. It’s not wrong to remain in NJ if that’s what one wants to do and it’s not wrong to move to Myrtle Beach if that’s what one wants to do. It also doesn’t make one opinion about the area right and the other one wrong here. Your opinions are right for you and my opinions are right for me and people reading these posts can decide which opinion works best for them and what information they want to take from this discourse. I certainly wouldn’t discourage anyone from moving here or tell them they’re wrong because they disagree with me nor would I discourage anyone from moving back to NJ or anywhere else. People have to move where it’s right for them but making an informed decision is, IMO, far better than viewing this area through the rose colored glasses that these advertisers would like people to wear when deciding. If they know the negatives along with the positives and are accepting of the negatives, they will more likely have a better and more permanent stay here which is far preferable to the transience which seems to dominate this area.

Originally Posted by Summering

I'm thinking a NJ person with 10,000 in taxes would love to have those $1000 taxes even with car fees.......( the bugs, the lawn, the upkeep,dog treatments etc......is a given anywhere)

Originally Posted by Summering

Sincerely.........

Again, I disagree but before I state my case if you will, I need to address the term car fees. We pay yearly vehicle taxes on our motor vehicles in addition to our real property taxes. All vehicles here are taxed annually similar to all real property. Car fees are assessed by the DMV and are an additional amount on top of the vehicle taxes. You must pay your vehicle taxes before you are allowed to register your car each year. Car registration fees are then assessed in addition to the vehicle taxes. The terms car fees and car taxes in SC do not mean the same thing and vary greatly in dollar amount. Ok, back to your statement where you are thinking a NJ person with 10,000 in taxes would love to have those $1,000 taxes…. What troubles me about this statement is the broad brush that seems to paint all NJ folks who are paying $10,000 in taxes as wanting to pay Myrtle Beach taxes instead and most likely move here. I have several friends in NJ that would not trade their professions, careers, proximity to NYC for anything in the world. They absolutely love their careers, the opportunities they have working their careers in the NYC area, their houses, friends and relatives, and the ambiance that is New Jersey and look down their nose at places like Myrtle Beach. They can’t believe that I’m still here or that I even moved to what they also call the Redneck Riviera in the first place. Most of the kids I went to school with in Bergen County went on to very good undergrad and grad schools and take a lot of pride in their career success and accomplishments and would not want to throw that away for Myrtle Beach. They really do look down on Myrtle Beach. Many of them have established successful practices in NJ or professional careers in midtown and have that Bergen County ‘snob’ appeal to them. Some of them think Myrtle Beach is beneath them. So be it. They still give me a hard time about having moved here and staying here. Oh well. But by the same token, yes, there are a lot of folks who can’t wait to escape NJ’s high taxes and packing their moving boxes for their move to MB as I type this post. Some in NJ think MB is heaven on earth and can’t wait to move here. But a statement that generalizes all NJ folks who pay $10,000 in taxes as those who would love to have $1,000 MB taxes is not accurate. It’s all about choices and what is right for each individual person. I think folks are too quick to judge and make decisions though based on hype and without through research and information. Both NJ and MB have positives but it seems the advertising hype is only pushing the negatives of NJ and the positives of MB in order to sell MB. If MB makes you happy, then move to MB. If NJ makes you happy, then stay in NJ or move back. To each, his/her own. JHMO.

[Rapture]

Holy cow! I haven't been in this thread lately and I don't have the time to read all the posts, especially the really long ones. I'll just add that the billboard was just creative advertising by a company that sells lots here in Myrtle Beach. Everyone knows the property tax is low here, especially compared to NJ and they just used that fact in their campaign.

Leaving NJ is not the right thing for everyone and it's especially hard to leave family and friends. I just refused to hand over my paycheck and pay the high taxes, so now I don't. Some people would rather pay and stay, I would rather not so I left. My SO works for an airline so we fly free and I can fly back anytime I want to visit. If I didn't have that benefit, I might not have made the move. I don't know. I do know it is less expensive to live here, even with paying personal property tax, sales tax on clothes, pest control etc...It doesn't even come close to what I would have been paying in property tax for the same house in NJ. My car insurance has been cut by 75% here and I have higher coverage. The weather is a lot better. Yes it's humid but so is NJ and I would be in the air conditioning anyway all summer if I were up there. I can do w/o the tourist stuff but I don't go near it and I don't have to unless I bought a house in the middle of it. I did not. The job market is tough here but I know lts of people that were able to find jobs, even before they moved here. Several of them make more money then they did up north but it depends on what type of work you do. I'm not trying to talk anyone into moving here, don't have to because people are coming down in droves. Some end up liking it and some end up going back. I would suggest for anyone thinking about it, to come here a couple times first. If they are serious come more than once because my first time here I was taken by all the manufactured homes, churches on every corner etc..It's just different, not better and not worse.

[dag29579]

The sign on the Turn Pike is an advertisement by a Myrtle Beach developer. You or I could easily rent the same sign space and advertise:
Don't Move to Myrtle Beach, New Jersey needs your $$ to help pay Welfare.

I've lived in Myrtle Beach for the past 12 years.
I'm baffled by some of the comments here. I live in a $650,000 custom home on a large lake (dock with boat in backyard). My taxes were $1591 last year. My HOA was $900 (we live in an exclusive neighborhood). Our home is west of the waterway so our insurance is less than those in the "Wind Pool". Our insurance was $1800.
We do pay property taxes on vehicles, I purchased a $50k vehicle last year and my taxes this year are $460. My wifes vehicle was $350 (every year the tax will lower due to depreciation.
So, I'm paying a total of $5100 per year for a 4000 square foot home on a lake, in an upscale community (where if I was in NJ this home would easily be $1 million+).
Electric Bill (for heating and cooling): Average $200 per month.
Water Bill: for 4 summer months average $120/month. For the other 8 months $30/month

Keep living in your Concrete Jungle...It like a black and white TV up there the majority of the year.
I'm staying right here in Myrtle where I can eat great NY Pizza and Pasta in my favorite restaurant owned and operated by a friend straight out if Little Italy.

[rrufast]

Anyone notice the skin has been changed on the sign?

[solibs]

I lived in North Carolina for almost 4 years. About 3 years in Fayetteville and just shy of a year in Chapel Hill. Then I lived in Columbia, SC for a year and then in Charleston, SC for a year. Never again.

Pretend Myrtle Beach is Monmouth County (but not nearly as nice). Now pretend that Ocean County is a 2 hour drive to your south. Mercer County is almost 3 hours to your west. There's nothing in between. Nothing. That's what it's like living down there. If you don't own a lot of land or your own business the job market is tough. It would be like living in Ocean County except that you can't drive up the Parkway to where all the jobs are because there is nothing like the Parkway to get you there and even if there was it would be a 100 mile one-way commute to get the next closest job center.

My grandparents moved down to Ocala, FL. Fine, they retired. Two years later my aunt and uncle were looking at property down there. They live in Howell and my uncle grew up a piney so he loves that stuff and he is actually cut out for living down there. Then they started to research the schools and the crime and decided that they were happy right where they were.

I don't understand why people go to such extremes like that. If all you're really after is lower property taxes then move to Pennsylvania, Delaware or Maryland . . . or you could tell all the idiot mayors and council out there to stop fighting municipal consolidation.

People want their cake but they don't want to pay for it. They want the best schools, the best police protection and multiple layers of public services. Then they want to live in giant houses on large lots in sprawling towns - which are incredibly expensive to police, to provide fire service to (to keep your HO insurance down), to bus kids to schools and to provide water and sewer to.

I lived in Collingswood, NJ, a town that already shares schools with neighboring Woodlynne, has just merged police departments and will continue to merge municipal services and will likely continue with neighboring Oaklyn. I owned a 1300 s/f 3 bedroom twin a block from the shops on Haddon Ave. and 3 blocks from the train station. My taxes were $2400 a year.

Now I own a 2000 s/f 4 bed townhouse in Philadelphia and my taxes are $450 a year. Yeah, you read that right. If you buy new construction you pay no taxes for 10 years. That's right too. My house was built in the 1880s but if it had been in need of major renovations I could have frozen my property tax bill at $325 a year (it went up last year) for the next 10 years.

Even in posh city neighborhoods that have detached houses and yards like Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy most people pay $2000/yr.

[pixieshmoo]

Originally Posted by sam23

Was traveling the turnpike for work yesterday and noticed a billboard promoting the low taxes of Myrtle Beach, SC. I forget the exact domain name, but it said something along the lines of getoutofnj.com or getmeoutofnj.com. Are they sending us unhappy NJers a message or what. The only people that are going to be left in this state are welfare recipients and the rich! I myself am an ex-NJer, I moved to PA last year.

Hilarious! Nothing like posting a sign about leaving a state, in the actual state you would be leaving. We have friends that just moved to South Carolina this past April, about 2 hours south of Myrtle Beach. At first they complained about how quiet it was, even on 4th of July. Then they came up the beginning of this month to visit and we bbq'd and partied (well, not me, I'm pregs) like old times and after all that, they said they love SC so much that they couldn't believe they actually thought they'd miss NJ!!!

[solibs]

I thought I would like the warmer weather and the cheaper cost of living. What I found was that instead of spending 3 months indoors in the winter in NJ I spent 1 month indoors in the winter in SC and 3 months indoors in the summer.

A lot of people like being physically and socially isolated from everyone else. They're happy to watch TV, eat at chain restaurants, pour thousands a year into landscaping and maintenance. That's their satisfaction. If that's the kind of life you enjoy, one that you're already living in NJ, then sure, you could live an identical lifestyle anywhere in the US, Canada or Australia. Might as well go where it's cheaper and where the weather is more to your liking.

My guess is that the "city folk" or people who live in NE NJ and generally like it (except for the taxes) or people who are worried about good schools are in for a major culture shock in moving to SC. Seriously, people down there joke about the state being "first in STDs, last in SATs." Of course, it's not true, they're usually 2nd, right behind Mississippi.

The jobs pay significantly less, the commutes are long, kids drive at age 15 so get ready for 4 cars in your driveway plus the insurance and vehicle taxes. if you live near the jobs houses aren't as cheap as you'd expect and the traffic isn't much better either. The crime is a whole lot worse.

NJ has the 2nd highest median income in the country. SC the 5th lowest. People living below the poverty line in NJ 8.7% - in SC 15.6%

Incidents of violent crime per 100,000 in NJ, 356 - in SC, 790.

High School graduation rate in NJ, 75% - SC, 62%

[pixieshmoo]

Originally Posted by solibs

I thought I would like the warmer weather and the cheaper cost of living. What I found was that instead of spending 3 months indoors in the winter in NJ I spent 1 month indoors in the winter in SC and 3 months indoors in the summer.

A lot of people like being physically and socially isolated from everyone else. They're happy to watch TV, eat at chain restaurants, pour thousands a year into landscaping and maintenance. That's their satisfaction. If that's the kind of life you enjoy, one that you're already living in NJ, then sure, you could live an identical lifestyle anywhere in the US, Canada or Australia. Might as well go where it's cheaper and where the weather is more to your liking.

My guess is that the "city folk" or people who live in NE NJ and generally like it (except for the taxes) or people who are worried about good schools are in for a major culture shock in moving to SC. Seriously, people down there joke about the state being "first in STDs, last in SATs." Of course, it's not true, they're usually 2nd, right behind Mississippi.

The jobs pay significantly less, the commutes are long, kids drive at age 15 so get ready for 4 cars in your driveway plus the insurance and vehicle taxes. if you live near the jobs houses aren't as cheap as you'd expect and the traffic isn't much better either. The crime is a whole lot worse.

NJ has the 2nd highest median income in the country. SC the 5th lowest. People living below the poverty line in NJ 8.7% - in SC 15.6%

Incidents of violent crime per 100,000 in NJ, 356 - in SC, 790.

High School graduation rate in NJ, 75% - SC, 62%

Where did you get your statistics? I like researching this sort of stuff (in case you haven't noticed, I'm in like every state on here lol). But I've gotten info here and there and a lot from Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed as well. I'm always looking for more!