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Hello,
I'm a 25 year old married woman currently living in Alexandria, VA, right next to Washington DC. We moved here a few months ago from Virginia Beach. Virginia beach would have been perfect for us if the people there were friendlier, and if the crime rate weren't as bad.
I'm finding that city life isn't for us. The parallel parking, parking garages, validations, traffic and huge crowds is just not working out. I need nature. I miss the beach, SO badly. I now know that we need to live by the ocean, but we have no idea where to go!
I would like to stay on the east coast and be in a place that isn't as much of a tourist area. If it's a tourist area but has the ocean, good amenities and low crime rates, I don't mine the tourists. We would like to start having children in a few years, so low crime rate and good schools are important to us, as well as good people. I also like having access to good grocery stores (whole foods, trader joe's, etc)
Our combined income is over 100k a year. We'd like to look into buying a house and need to find our place. If anyone could help me, OR let me know of some resources, I would appreciate it so much! (I wish there were state-wide realtors. Wait...are there? I'm so green!)
Thanks for reading!
Any particular weather preferences? Taxes? Outdoor activities?
At first glance, I'd be inclined to say Mount Pleasant SC checks off most of the boxes you listed, but the east coast is huge. I'm sure there's several places that meet your requirements. The Hilton Head/ Beaufort area might work as well.
You might want to look at Ponte Vedre, Florida as well. It's upscale, low crime, and has great schools. As a bonus, there's no state income taxes in Florida.
When researching a new place to live, I usually start by pulling up homes in that area for sale on Zillow which will give an idea of how much you can get for your money, property taxes and schools. Some places require spending a lot more on a house to get into the best schools.
When it comes to weather, I like four seasons. But I'm starting to accept the fact that I might need to let go of that if I want to live by a good beach (unless someone knows of great beaches more north). My husband loves the idea of Florida. I've always thought it was waaay too hot, and I'm also paranoid about alligators, more sharks, and snakes. But sometimes I feel like I might be able to get over all of that for the beautiful ocean water.
I love nature. I love swimming, bike riding, kayaking. As for taxes, I don't really have a preference. I live in Virginia right now so I'm used to taxes haha. Thanks for the ideas you have already provided!
To the OP, I've lived in Florida on the Gulf coast for almost thirty years. You say you want to stay on the east coast and avoid tourists, but the truth is everywhere on the coast is a tourist area. In the summer they are gone, but for a reason... its unbearably hot and humid to even enjoy the water, it's just as hot as the outside so jumping in to cool off isn't even an option. If you like kayaking and are considering Florida, you will want to be on the west coast because we have tons and tons of unparalleled tidal areas with mangroves and islands, limitless amount of flats and shallow channels, lagoons, and mangrove tunnels to explore. You will not get that on the east coast as it is just the ocean without all the deviances. Also, the east coast is even more built up than it is here. We also have better beaches, if that is your number one goal.
The critters you mentioned are all here in good numbers but we all coexist peacefully. I'm not sure what your job fields are but Florida is not a hotbed for opportunity that doesn't cater to either tourism or caring for the elderly. Not that you couldn't find jobs, but it might be more difficult and you most likely won't get paid as much as you are now. If you are most interested in water activities, Florida is perfect. If you want privacy away from other people, pleasant weather, or do anything else outside it leaves much to be desired.
Sorry to have kind of detailed this topic off the subject of SC towns, if anyone is wondering why a FL native is cruising the SC forum it's because I am leaving this seasonless, stale, flat land ten month a year hell for mountains and the occasional coastal visit, because I can't just totally eradicate saltwater from my veins .
I forgot to add that something to consider when buying a house near the coast, your taxes and insurance are going to be high and the closer to the water the higher they are because of all the storms we are susceptible to.
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