Possible move to SC -- we'd love some suggestions (Columbia: crime rate, home)

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Skyliner

You should have seen this coming. I should have seen this coming. By the way do you believe in Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura?

Nice attempt to paint me into a corner...but the context of the first post was Charlotte and you Cherry picked a comment regarding Raliegh...which I really can't stand.

Besides after some honest reflection and visiting the "fine" state of upstate SC, I can say that Charlotte was okay and has gotten better. I still would not want to live there due to the congestion, ticky tacky subdivisions, lack of culture, history, distance to moutains and ocean and the way to hot and way to humid climate.

So you didn't see anything coming. I would not have wasted my time dragging my family all the way to Greenville for nothing. If anything in the end I feel as if I DID waste my time based on boosterism gone wild.

And your right...it wasn't 600 feet, I just checked it's actually 1500 feet of one road of "charm". Going a block or two either direction and the city changes...fast. It's simply an old mill town with a "pretty main street". Salisbury NC isn't much different for cryin out loud. I wish I knew that before hand and folks would have posted more than a small section of the city in pictures to make it seem like something else.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by JViello

Let see, you just admitted everything I said. How are they unfounded?

What I wrote is accurate. I don't hate the South, but it is what it is...and it aint New England by a long shot.

Charlotte is a nice city, and as I said I would live there over SC any day...but even then you will sacrifice a lot of quality of life IMHO.

Moving to the south for quality of life is like moving to the Midwest for the mountains.

[Barbara]

For good schools check out:

Carolina Forest (Near Myrtle Beach and the ocean)

Summerville and Mt Pleasant (Near Charleston and the ocean)

Fort Mill and Tega Cay (near a huge lake that I can't think of the name at the moment but those towns are in the North/West part of the state).


You can get some good basic information by typing in the town and then detailed profile on your web browser. Example: "summerville sc detailed profile"

Also "great schools.net" is a good starting place.

Good luck with your search!

[pawleyslady]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie on this board and hope it's OK to jump in here.

I hoping to move south soon, very possibly SC as my daughter is planning on transferring to Coastal Carolina this spring. I've wanted to move south for most of my life and since I'm in my late 50's figure it's now or never.

We've vacationed in the Myrtle Beach/Pawleys Island area for quite a few years and have also visited Charleston and Beaufort. I liked them all. I'm pretty familiar with the south as my husband was from a small town in Alabama and I don't think the cultural difference would be that big a shock. I'm originally from Chicago and have lived in rural Wisconsin for the last ten years.

I'd prefer a more metropolitan area such as Charleston but I'm pretty flexible and really loved Beaufort.

My biggest concern is a job. I've worked in the restaurant business for many years and I'm currently a Group Sales/Marketing Asst for a Greyhound track. I'm a trained chef and recently received an Associate Degree in Graphic Design. I know there are a lot of server, bartender, line cook restaurant jobs but I'm looking more for administrative or managerial. Not just the age thing, I need benefits. At least insurance.

I'm single so I would have to be able to get by on one income, tho working two jobs doesn't scare me. I will have some start-up money from selling my house.


Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by pawleyslady

I'm pretty familiar with the south as my husband was from a small town in Alabama...I'm single so I would have to be able to get by on one income...

Which is it?

[pawleyslady]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Which is it?

Sorry. Should have said ex-husband.

[livebyoptimism]

I'm not much help on where to move (I've only lived in SC since August to teach) but I can tell you where not to move. I'm living in Williamsburg County teaching. There is nothing here. I think there are 13 schools in the whole county! We are 1 1/2 hours from Charleston & Myrtle... but still much of nothing. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Ha ha.

[JFRRACING]

well i'll tell ya we spent a month in s.c 3 years ago in january and we loved it. right now we live in upstate ny and moved from n.h 6 years ago. where i lived my whole life. we are just plain tired of sub zero temps and snow up to my ass 6 months out of the year. now we have our chance to move to a warmer climate and we'er taking it. we found out when we went down before you just have to go with an open mind and be willing to change, since it is different down there. just to let you know it's -8 degrees right now and we have a foot of snow. we won't miss that a bit.

[guyL]

Originally Posted by JViello

I'll be making a post in the Greenville section...don't worry. I'm just running the thoughts through my head before shooting from the hip.

If anything is was this visit after moving back 10 years ago and now that I'm not a green kid anymore that validated what I knew in my youth. For that, I'm grateful.

No, my expectations were based on the endless pictures and boosterism given.

What I found was ONE STREET about 600 feet long that is called "downtown greenville".

In fact I took a video standing in one spot and turning 360* that contains about 10 pictures posted that make it seem like you can go several blocks one way or another and find this vibrant city. It's not accurate. It's not.

My expectation was from DM's like the one I recieved that said it's just like Charlotte in regards to "newness and cleanless" but closer to the mountains.

WRONG!

I'm not expecting you local folks to agree with me. It's not my intention. My intention is to bring some levity to your hype for others.

Like I said...look for the post.

P.S. Charlies off RT14 was not very good to me. Chopped dry pork BBQ and two sandwich sizes. No pulled pork, no brisket, no ribs...just a sandwich in a strip mall store. Best BBQ my @ss. Muddy River in Portsmouth NH (Which we went to straight from SC) blows the place away and it's just okay at best. That's what I'm talking about. Things like that. Perhaps perception is everything. A person can think a Chevy Colbalt is a great car because they've never been in a 335i.

Im min Salem NH use to live in Springfield. I cant find suitable sales work here. Well I could i guess, But Im not to enthused with the prices for houses and rent .. So I was thinking Greenville, Charlotte, Suwanee north Georgia, or Fishers IN.

[guyL]

Originally Posted by JViello

I lived in Charlotte for several years at a younger age and moved back to New England for the last 10 years. I had a brain cramp and thought perhaps SC was different than what I could not live with in Charlotte based on the posts and pictures.

Well, let me tell you I would RATHER live in Charlotte with all of it's congestion, no proximity to mountains (I don't consider a 1.5 hour drive to get to a bump "close".), ocean etc etc then live in SC.

My wife and I just left Greenville early we were so disappointed.

You will be a fish out of water coming from New England and I don't mean people will be mean to you. I have finally come to he conclusion that there is no place else in this country like New England in regard to culture, topography, proximity, seasons, history and international presence all contained in a 2-3 hour drive. New England is what it is.

You can leave and be happy - I didnt' totally hate Charlotte, but expect to make sacrifices to do so.

The locals who are telling you it's the same and you'll find XY and Z in SC have no clue about your reference point. I don't say that to be mean or start a fight...they simply do not understand the perspective of a New Englander.

1. Yes you can expect a warmer climate. Just wait to see HOW warm in June July August as a trade off.

2. Expect much lower pay.

3. Is a crap shoot. There is a reason private schools are so common in SC and I don't think it's just the "religous" factor.

4. Not happening by NE standards. Accept it and your fine.

5. It's not like New England where you can have a "rural" feel without the tin roofed shacks, quick built steel buildings and transmission shops next to neighborhoods. Greenville has a downtown the size of any run of the mill New England city of pop 30-50K...but that's it. Outside of that, it's poor South IMO.

6. Upstate SC aside, if you enjoy muddy lakes...yea you can have "water". Expect a 3 hour drive to the Ocean.
Don't expect the same countryside, proximity to things, ANY kind of New England vibe.

You may love it...but I would HIGHLY recomend a visit first. Understand what you see online is NOT what you will see in person.

Feel free to post or DM me your current location in NE and I'd more than happy to give you an honest perspective.

Good luck!

So what town do you compare it too in NE ?
Northampton and Portsmouth both cute and quaint are much smaller ?