Tell me more about Morgantown (Cheat Lake, Washington: relocate, real estate, budget)

[berry987]

We are looking to relocate somewhere...anywhere...away from Washington, DC. My husband can telecommute so he can really do his job anywhere. Our families are in MD and PA so we'd like to stay within a days car drive those areas. I started looking into WV because I've heard very nice things and Morgantown seems like a good fit. A lot of positive comments on this forum, but also quite a few mixed or negative comments.

So I'm hoping some of you can give me some insight. We have two small kids (under 3 years old) and would like an area that has a small town feel but still has a nice walkable downtown. I'm a stay at home mom and would like to know there are a lot of other young families - not just college students! We enjoy nature, taking walks, seeing an occasional movie, but mostly working around the house and playing with our kids. So a big cultural scene is not necessary...but some nice playgrounds and a "family" feel would be good.

We'd like to live in the heart of things, so I looked at real estate listings online and saw older homes in kind of main part of town. Are there parts of Morgantown that are "bad" - lots of drunken college students, car break-ins, etc? Our price limit is 350K for a house.

We are going there in two weeks to check it out, but I'd love any advice or thoughts.

[appalachiangirl]

Morgantown has a nice downtown area--shops,restaurants. A lot of new condominiums and town houses have recently been built. It has a mall and several shopping centers,several bookstores,college sports,theaters. It would be much smaller than the DC area (pop. 30,000 or so). I don't think the crime rate is all that high,either,especially compared with larger cities.

[confusedTee]

I was doing some searching on morgantown and looks like a fun place to be..and the Pay was MUCH better than my area..........geez sign on bonuses etc..
we go to the hunting club with some friends from Morgantown..young professional couple..they RAVE on morgantown.......except their rent with 350k as your top figures u should have no problem..Welcome.........good luck wish you a happy holiday................

[MountainMan35]

From what you say your interested in, Morgantown is the place for you! I love living here, to me it's the perfect place to live. You have all the great shopping and eating, without the hustle of the big city, and, if your like me, you can live in some of the most beautiful country sides in the world. Don't worry about the students, it's really not bad at all. WV gets a bad rep, but it is a great place to be!

[suzukimotofan]

Originally Posted by berry987

We are looking to relocate Are there parts of Morgantown that are "bad" - lots of drunken college students, car break-ins, etc?

I feel very safe in morgantown but the drunken college students drive you crazy. Stay outta downtown and you may never notice them, but it is a town polluted with wasted obnoxious kids.

[David Kennedy]

Even though Morgantown was voted # 1 Best Small City in Ameria...it is a big college town with all the 'big college' problems...but the cops do keep a watchfull eye...
not many murders...usualy a drug deal gowing sour...that one about 3 weeks ago was about a kid who owed his 'crack-packer' $2000...If it had been in California, the shooter would have cut off his hands and head with a machete.
I don't think its polluted with obnoxious kids...has its share...they are alkies before they ever get here...and the pot...well mom and dad do their share too. It's the newage...and a sad one...Still no gangs here...and the crime rate is the same per capita...

Live on the edge of M-town and enjoy all the good things...that's not hard to do....a person can almost do that anywhere. I like it here...until after Santa comes...then Savannah calls me to the good seafood and a warmer sun down GA way.

[WVUPharm2007]

Just stay away from downtown and Sunnyside. If you hate graduate/medical students stay away from Evansdale, too. Cheat Lake would likely be the area for you.

[confusedTee]

sounds like u mite need to head toward quiet fayetteville..............LOL.........safe low crime spree most of the kids off the street after 10pm.......and WALMLART midnite madness shopping.............ROFL...................ahhhhh h u can really hear the rain falling and the wind..................

I love college towns.....but i am used to it from gainesville............i guess it can get old after a while or EXCITING when those GAME DAYS are up and running...........OH BOY..

[mtneeratheart]

I have mixed feelings on Morgantown. Although I LOVED going to college there I could never forsee myself living there permanently, it is just too college oriented if you will. As someone who now lives in the DC area I can assure you that Morgantown will definitely take some getting used to as many suburbs around Washington are much larger than Morgantown (some may consider that a good thing). I agree with WVUPharm stay away from downtown and Sunnyside unless you want to live in a slum surrounded by people who will be partying at all hours of the day/night. Cheat Lake would probably be the place you would want to go.

[mtneeratheart]

Also your price range of 350K will get you a very nice house in the Morgantown area, its hard to imagine considering in the DC area that will buy a small townhouse built during the Nixon administration in a dicey area. Budget a little extra money aside though for that lovely Wva "welcoming tax" I can't exactly remember what that consists of, perhaps some other people who have moved in state can elaborate.