Moving South, advice respectfully requested (Savannah, Brunswick: real estate, house, rent)

[mikeg1218]

The wife and I have visited the Savannah area and loved the place and plan to relocate sometime in the next year or so from the Boston metro area. Have been doing a lot of homes for sales searches but not being familiar with the area makes things a bit difficult even working via e-mail with a real estate agent isn't a lot of help. I'm hoping someone there can lend a helping hand.

I'm thinking somewhere south east of Savannah, Chatham. Bryan, Liberty, or Mcintosh counties. Jobs need not be considered, I'm retired and the wife can work from anywhere. No kids at home so schools are not a consideration either. We're probably not the upscale subdivision type. We'd like to be within a distance from Savannah where it would be reasonable to run in for dinner or shopping once or twice a month without making an expidition out of it. Would be looking for a single family house, at least two bedrooms two baths. Some land, either fenced or could be to keep the critters in, and the wife wouldn't mind a pool. Rural is fine, maybe even preferable. If the property was enough to keep a horse or two along with someplace to do some real riding that would be a great bonus.

The wife loves the beach and I fish, saltwater boat and surf, so we'd like to be reasonable near the coast and a launch ramp. The nearer the better. I also do custom woodworking so I would need either an existing building/garage to set up shop or the space to build one. WITH minimum hassles from building inspectors, etc. The wife would like the house to be as near turn key as possible so she doesn't have to bug me about the honey do list. Come to think of it I wouldn't mind that myself.

Price range anything up to $250,000 but I'd much prefer something in the $150,000 range.

I'm not asking anyone to nail the perfect house down for me just give me the names of some towns or areas that might be worth looking into that come close to the parameters.

Many thanks
Mike

[cpowers21]

My best guesses would be the Georgetown Area, Richmond Hill, or one of the Islands.

[bgnzsavnh]

Liberty County ( Midway, Riceboro, Sunbury )

or McIntosh
(Crescent, Darien, Eulonia, Pine Harbour, Ridgeville, Shellman Bluff, South Newport, Townsend, and Valona.)

The closer to the salt water the more expensive
you may need to look west of I-95 to find horse space

[SavannahPalm]

Something that could possibly affect your decision are the Sand Gnats we have here on the coast. These are tiny no-see-um flies that can produce itchy bites. Most of the time these guys are not an issue, but in the spring and fall they can be a nuisance.

I've found that the sand gnats are worse if you are in close proximity to marshland. If you buy property a few miles inland (west chatham, effingham county) the sand gnats are less of an issue.

Also definitely be aware of the flood zones as you look at different properties. I recommend flood insurance if you live in a flood zone. A while back FEMA published a map showing what areas along the coast would be flooded by category 2, 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes. Not sure where you could find this but it's interesting to consider.

[mikeg1218]

Just a quick thank you for the suggestions and tips so far and for any future ones.

A note on the horse thing. It's be a nice bonus but doesn't figure prominently in the equation. For the skeptical about a metro Boston duo managing horses, and I know you are out there and snickering. With five years in rural Ct. and ten on the fringes of the Montana Rockies back country running a small herd of four or five horses of our own we are very experienced horse people

Again, thank you all
Mike G.

[ellie]

I wasn't snickering but was rolling my eyes.

The land south of here is piney, wet, and flat. Not the most scenic or fertile landscape once you're away from the marshes.

If surfing is what you want, you need to have access to a beach. Only two parts of the coast will give you direct access to a place you can drive to, St. Simons/Brunswick and Savannah. There's not much surf anywhere near here due to the shape of the coast. We're within the Georgia Bight, which usually deflects most of the waves.

You can find boat ramps easily enough, up and down the coast.

A few months ago I went out house shopping with a friend who was looking for something similar to what you're looking for. The trouble with properties that have been divided up into mini-farms is that they look exactly like that, dinky little mini-farms, one after another. It's almost worse than suburbia because most people like to fence them in and mow right up to the edges, plant some tiny little fruit trees all hodge-podge, and place a double-wide right in the middle.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but you really need to come down and spend some serious time looking.

[mikeg1218]

Thanks for not snickering and now we are even. I couldn't help a little roll myself. Surf was as in surf fishing, wader, long pole, etc. I'm a little long in the tooth to take up the other kind of surf (ing).

Many thanks for the tips about the horse thing, I was kind of afraid that that would be the situation. I know it would be from hard to almost impossible to duplicate the kind of riding experiences we were use to in the past but, as they say, hope springs eternal.

Take care
Mike

[ellie]

You may not be too old to surf. There's a fair number of geezers who get out there in winter when we have the few waves we get.

If I were going to shop for horse land and still be within an hour or two of Savannah, I'd look northeast of here between Sylvania and Waynesboro. You'd also be close to Augusta which offers some city-style amenities for those odd nights out.

The land's prettier and somewhat more remote. There's freshwater fishing on the Ogeechee River which is about as pretty as anything down here. They don't have surf, but you could take up canoeing.

You also might need to target your search to areas near publicly owned forests which may give you access to riding trails. Maybe you should google up some local wildlife management areas and see if you can find something that way.

I'm glad we both had a laugh at each other's expense.

[MOM2NINE]

Don`t know how much you have traveled in Georgia ,Mike,but as mid-western transplants,we have discovered Southwest Ga.offers lots of very reasonable options.Close enough to several very metropolitan areas,yet remote enough to enjoy the solitude and quiet we sought in our retirement.
Land is inexpensive,taxes still fairly reasonable,and the people are lovely.
You maybe should broaden your search base.

Best of luck in your quest!
Mom2Nine

[mikeg1218]

Than ks for the tip Mom29 I'll keep it in mind but after years of living away from the ocean I sure would miss it again if I didn't have right down the road a piece.

Thanks again
Mike