SC native ... will answer questions (Charleston, Florence: sale, crime rates, townhouses)

[pwoz51]

hi,

i am a young 55 divorced female...i have worked as an RN for 30 years...i was born/raised in niagara falls ny...still have some family and friends in western ny...i simply cannot stand the snowy, slushy winters therefore moving back is not an option...i have lived in the mid-west since 1982 and am looking to get out of st. louis...

i have traveled a good bit...the west is beautiful, but not a consideration; the east i love, but the weather sucks (sorry); the southwest is great...also not a consideration...the eastern coast is what i am focusing on...where do i go...i love the ocean...would like to be close to the coast...i can put up with the humidity, as i have here in st. louis, without the amenities of the coast...i am seriously looking at south carolina...i like small quaint, close to big city-life...good, walkable cities...i really need help because this move is planned for the coming year...i love old homes with character, but not really looking to buy...i like neighborhoods, but i also like those "gated communities"...

the more i think, the more confused i seem to be...please just throw out some comments...even the obscure...thanks in advance....soulfulms

[pwoz51]

i love cities like montreal and paris...lol...i am laughing, but serious...that old, architecture really turns me on...

[sandlapper]

South Carolina has plenty of options each city has something different to offer that's for sure, just depends on what you are looking for that makes you comfortable (ie socially, recreation, cultural events, affodability, etc...).

There are plenty of SC towns that are close to the larger cities: Aiken, Lugoff, Georgetown, Conway, Rock Hill/ Ft. Mill [although this pretty much a Charlotte suburb now], Goose Creek, there are a number of communities in upstate SC as well. There are several towns in SC that are about an hour or less drive from the states major cities.

[mjetch]

Hi kat2k,

I had a couple of questions if you wouldn't mind answering for me. There seems to be a few "gated communites" down there. I was wondering if they are worth looking into. Could you tell me about them? I was also wondering about Anderson City. It seems like a nice area to raise a family. Are there family oriented events?

Thanks.

[kat2k]

Originally Posted by pwoz51

hi,

i am a young 55 divorced female...i have worked as an RN for 30 years...i was born/raised in niagara falls ny...still have some family and friends in western ny...i simply cannot stand the snowy, slushy winters therefore moving back is not an option...i have lived in the mid-west since 1982 and am looking to get out of st. louis...

i have traveled a good bit...the west is beautiful, but not a consideration; the east i love, but the weather sucks (sorry); the southwest is great...also not a consideration...the eastern coast is what i am focusing on...where do i go...i love the ocean...would like to be close to the coast...i can put up with the humidity, as i have here in st. louis, without the amenities of the coast...i am seriously looking at south carolina...i like small quaint, close to big city-life...good, walkable cities...i really need help because this move is planned for the coming year...i love old homes with character, but not really looking to buy...i like neighborhoods, but i also like those "gated communities"...

the more i think, the more confused i seem to be...please just throw out some comments...even the obscure...thanks in advance....soulfulms

Hi, sorry for my late response.

It's not at the coast, but I really, really suggest Greenville area-has 4 nice seasons, the humidity isn't that bad, and it has all of the big city stores, restaurants, and other amenities. I have visited all of the cities in SC and as much as I love them all, none of them stack up to Greenville. The area has quite a few state exclusives with stores, restaurants, etc. It's not that far from the ocean (3 hours?) but it's at the foothills of some beautiful mountains, but snow is NOT frequent.

For a place to live, I suggest Traveler's Rest. The area has beautiful scenery, a small town feel but there are quite a few stores and restaurants up there. Downtown Greenville and the rest of the city aren't far away at all. It is very quaint feeling, in my opinion. Check out Rested Traveler's info and pictures of the area here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/green...-place-us.html

[kat2k]

mjtech,

There are quite a few gated communities in Greenville, when I get a chance I'll look them up and post them for you.

Anderson is a nice place. It may be difficult to find a job there (depending on your profession, if not you can commute to Greenville, a little long, but manageable), and it's rather slow-growing, but it's a nice place to raise a family. Shopping is a little more limited than Greenville but you can always drive up there for what you need. If I recall correctly, there are a few family-oriented things to do and a festival or two, but not as many as Greenville.

[njkate]

Would like info on Port Royal. I am looking for something between Charleston & Savannah and happened upon Port Royal.
We are looking into early retirement....fishing? golfing? nightlife??

[della terra]

Hey there,

I need some info on the Garden City area south of Myrtle Beach. My parents are living in North Myrtle for the past 8 years and my husband and I are thinking of moving down to be closer to them. We have 2 young children (under5) and we'd like to live in an area with good schools and things to do for families. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[p2y2r7o]

Originally Posted by Akhenaton06

As far as the crime stats are concerned, particularly when compared with other states, you have to take those with a grain of salt. SC tends to report most of its crime data, from a variety of reporting agencies, whereas other states tend to have less consistency in that regard. Of course I'm not claiming that SC is some crime-free mecca, but the situation isn't as dire as the statistics themselves would show.

I'd also have to say take such stats with a grain of salt. I live in Greenville, and have almost never experienced anything crime-wise in my neighborhood (or anywhere for that matter). You hear about things but if you stay away from trouble it rarely comes to you. It really can depend on what area you live in...just like any city there are bad areas and good areas. My bike was stolen from under the carport once, but the funny thing is that I knew the guy who stole it. I got it back shortly after.

If you're wondering, I live in the North Main area. (North Main Street)

[p2y2r7o]

Originally Posted by kat2k

Hi, sorry for my late response.

It's not at the coast, but I really, really suggest Greenville area-has 4 nice seasons, the humidity isn't that bad, and it has all of the big city stores, restaurants, and other amenities. I have visited all of the cities in SC and as much as I love them all, none of them stack up to Greenville. The area has quite a few state exclusives with stores, restaurants, etc. It's not that far from the ocean (3 hours?) but it's at the foothills of some beautiful mountains, but snow is NOT frequent.

Yeah, Greenville is about 3 hours from the coast depending on what beach you go to. My family has a condo in Isle of Palms, near Charleston, and it's about a 3 hour drive.

From Greenville, you can drive north about 30-40 minutes and be in the mountains as well. I love being so close to both. The Blue Ridge Parkway is close as well, if you like amazing scenery and a long mountain road!

And downtown Greenville is amazing, especially within the last few years. There are over 100 restaurants in the downtown area, and ALL of them are excellent in my experiences. (i live less than 5 minutes from downtown, so i'm there often) There are many shops and some art galleries as well. You really just need to visit...oh and some website ranked Greenville as one of the Top 100 cities in the U.S. to live in and it was the only city in SC to make the list.