Possible Relocation To Hedgesville (Wheeling, Martinsburg: estate, property taxes, transplants)

[levi]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any information on the area of Apple Knoll Estates, I think it's in Hedgesville. Am I correct? I'm originally from Wheeling & now live in NH. I don't know much about the eastern panhandle of the state.
My husband is thinking of taking a job around that area. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by levi

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any information on the area of Apple Knoll Estates, I think it's in Hedgesville. Am I correct? I'm originally from Wheeling & now live in NH. I don't know much about the eastern panhandle of the state.
My husband is thinking of taking a job around that area. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Look at the Moving to Martinsburg thread.
The Eastern Panhandle is nothing like Ohio County and nowhere near New Hampshire.

Apple Knoll is right off Dry Run Road. A Martinsburg Address, but Hedgesville School District. When I went to school my bus used to pass there, was a large Apple Orchard on those days. Now it is just homes crammed built on Limestone Slopes or holes filled with whatever to level the yard.

Make sure you have the home inspected by a certified "Maryland or Virginia" home inspector. Berkeley has zero zoning. The hospital is rated very low and as for Martinsburg, it has went down the slippery slope to ruin.

If you want a Wheeling or NH feel try Morgan County, WV or Western Washington County Maryland. You can even look at PA. The whole area is within 20 miles.

I have beat Martinsburg to a pulp, again check out the Martinsburg thread. I'm not the only one. The only one who was a native, but there are many transplants running for their life also.

Good Luck

[paula10468]

Levi, If you would like another opininion check out my posts in that same thread, and in some others. For whatever reason, Georgia does not think anyone should move here. It seems she has some kind of vendetta against this area. (sorry Georgia, that is the way it seems) I am a true native, and I love it here. I grew up on the southern end of the county, now I live on the northern end which I happen to think is the best area. We live in the Hedgesville school didtrict right now. There is a brand new Spring Mills high school being built as we speak, so that will change. Hedgesville is a very nice area to live in also. Lots of my good friends live there. Go ahead and check it out!!

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by paula10468

Levi, If you would like another opininion check out my posts in that same thread, and in some others. For whatever reason, Georgia does not think anyone should move here. It seems she has some kind of vendetta against this area. (sorry Georgia, that is the way it seems) I am a true native, and I love it here. I grew up on the southern end of the county, now I live on the northern end which I happen to think is the best area. We live in the Hedgesville school didtrict right now. There is a brand new Spring Mills high school being built as we speak, so that will change. Hedgesville is a very nice area to live in also. Lots of my good friends live there. Go ahead and check it out!!

No offense Paula, I just call the area as I see it, no vendetta.
I too am a true native born in the B'urg, a HHS grad, actually a transition from the old HHS to the new one when it was built.

Now, you cannot honestly tell me that Martinsburg has became a "better" place in the last 10 years. Maybe I should ask, where else beside Berkeley County have you ever lived?

[paula10468]

Originally Posted by Georgia

No offense Paula, I just call the area as I see it, no vendetta.
I too am a true native born in the B'urg, a HHS grad, actually a transition from the old HHS to the new one when it was built.

Now, you cannot honestly tell me that Martinsburg has became a "better" place in the last 10 years. Maybe I should ask, where else beside Berkeley County have you ever lived?

I am sorry but it seems like you "stalk" this board. I AM NOT trying to be mean, but every once in a while I check this site out and no matter who asks about moving here, it seems you jump right on telling them how bad it is here and how they shouldn't move here.

As to where I have lived, here goes: Bunker Hill is where I grew up; once I got older/married, we lived from Bunker Hill to Inwood to Glengary to name a few here.

St. Loius for a year while my husband took a job there; North central Connecticut to be near my husbands family for a few years; believe it or not we re-located to Palm Springs, CA for a year while my husband helped a friend of his start a business doing what we do. Then back to CT.

We moved back here almost 17 years ago to where we live now in Marlowe.

So if you were assuming I have never lived anywhere else, as you can see, that is a wrong assumption by far.

When I say that I truly love it here, I am dead serious. I have never had the inclination to move right into Martinsburg because I love it on the outskirts anyway. Sure I believe that as this area has grown, so have problems. But then you get that pretty much anywhere you go. We are happy here, and I am willing to tell anyone who asks.

I just dont understand the constant vehement put downs you make of our area. I assume you moved away, but something keeps you coming to these boards. I accidentally stumbled upon this site somewhere, but I am not going to come on here on a regular basis. I have no reason. But when I am bored I check it out, and right on cue, I find your posts telling people to run the opposite way. I am just offering another opinion, thats all.

[paula10468]

Levi, I should warn you about one thing you may not like. I really never noticed it before, but the traffic in the evening as people are going home from work is horrendous on Rt. 9 in Hedgesville.

I hadn't really needed to go over during the evenings, except to take my kids to games or to school, and there is always traffic then, and to be expected. But now as I have had to take my daughter to basketball tryouts every evening I was surprised.

I will say that this is one drawback. The big builders come in and build a ton of houses and the road is not equipped to handle all the new traffic.

Other than that Hedgesville really is a nice little town. Just wait till they start on the road work! lol

[levi]

I just wanted to thank you guys for your posts. Like any town or city, I guess there are different opinions. I am new to this site & just stumbled on it while looking for info. on Hedgesville.

We have lived in NH for 19 years now. It's rural & reminds us of WVA. That's why we chose this area. Packed up our two kids in a Ryder, left our families & made a new life here. It was a good decision, we could not have had the home we have & the opportunities we have had here. Plus, we've done & seen a lot of things here that we would not have been able to had we stayed in WVA. But let me tell you, it was quite a culture shock.

Sounds to me like Martinsburg, Hedgesville, etc. is not much different from Wheeling. Wheeling has it's bad areas but it also has some really nice areas.
I grew up across from Wheeling Park. I truly miss WVA & have always wanted to return. We go back about once a year. Still have family there (My husband also, he's from Martins Ferry OH). My husband & I have always talked about retiring in WVA somewhere.

House prices have risen in Wheeling but you get so much more for your money in the WVA area. Homes here are outrageous. Property taxes are out of sight. We love it here but we also miss home & family.

We left Wheeling because my husband was as far as he could go in his job. It's not just the southern part of the state that it's hard to find a job in, as I've read on some of the posts. Wheeling was also that way. We wanted our kids to have more opportunities when they got older. I don't know about the rest of the state but there is a lot of nepotism in the Northern Panhandle.

Thanks for the info. on traffic, that was my next question. If we moved to Hedgesville, my husband would have to drive approx. 1 1/2 hrs. to Laurel Md. We looked at property in Md & Va but like I said above, WVA is the best deal for your money. We're used to the rural life & are looking for a place to stay that way. So WVA seems a good choice.

Thanks again, I will take all of your advice into consideration.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by paula10468

I am sorry but it seems like you "stalk" this board. I AM NOT trying to be mean, but every once in a while I check this site out and no matter who asks about moving here, it seems you jump right on telling them how bad it is here and how they shouldn't move here.

As to where I have lived, here goes: Bunker Hill is where I grew up; once I got older/married, we lived from Bunker Hill to Inwood to Glengary to name a few here.

St. Loius for a year while my husband took a job there; North central Connecticut to be near my husbands family for a few years; believe it or not we re-located to Palm Springs, CA for a year while my husband helped a friend of his start a business doing what we do. Then back to CT.

We moved back here almost 17 years ago to where we live now in Marlowe.

So if you were assuming I have never lived anywhere else, as you can see, that is a wrong assumption by far.

When I say that I truly love it here, I am dead serious. I have never had the inclination to move right into Martinsburg because I love it on the outskirts anyway. Sure I believe that as this area has grown, so have problems. But then you get that pretty much anywhere you go. We are happy here, and I am willing to tell anyone who asks.

I just dont understand the constant vehement put downs you make of our area. I assume you moved away, but something keeps you coming to these boards. I accidentally stumbled upon this site somewhere, but I am not going to come on here on a regular basis. I have no reason. But when I am bored I check it out, and right on cue, I find your posts telling people to run the opposite way. I am just offering another opinion, thats all.

Paula,

That is your opinion and your entitled to it. I think it is good to have a point/counterpoint discussion and I respect your opinion. I don't stalk the board, again, I love West Virginia and grew up in Berkeley. I just think the area has went down hill on a slippery slope in the last 20 years.

Growth from DC without moving from the "good ole boy" mindset. Rapid growth with no additional infrastructure. A county reviewed by population that has went from Mayberry to that of a double than national average crime rate for the same compariable county.

Yes, I stay very close to Martinsburg and will until I can talk (I doubt unsuccessfully) my folks, and remaining aunt and uncle to get out of there. I follow because they are in their upper 70's and I worry about them daily.
Martinsburg's crime rate is getting worse. Counting the Shepherd College execution style murders, there were a total of 6 in the last 90 days.
My elderly aunt was knocked to the ground with her purse stolen in the Mall parking lot. my mothers friend was hit an ran at Wal Mart. Yes, there are issues everywhere, heck I live close to Atlanta now, talk about excitement! But at least the police forces become more qualified and strict with the growth. Heck the MPD and BCSD is still staffed and ran by friends of friends instead of highly trained people. One exception was back when Preston Gooden was Sheriff.

Quality of life; granted your in Marlowe, but you still have to go to Hagerstown to shop. Again, Berkely grows in bedroom but nothing else.

Homes cost 300K and up, but unless you work out of state and do the 4am - 8pm DC hike, good luck trying to find something that pays close to the cost of living.

I could go on.

As to re-state, I don't hate Martinsburg. Heck, it was my hometown. I just hate what it has turned into. So much potential, so little pride. Try to compare it to Hagerstown, Berkeley Springs, Sheptown, Hancock, you can't.
Garbage on the streets, Historic buildings that are falling down, or crumbling from age. (Gateway Hotel/Shenandoah good example) trying to turn Boydville into FMHA apartments. Geez, Louise!

In Closing, I respect your opinion Paula, just have a different view.

Regards,

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by levi

I just wanted to thank you guys for your posts. Like any town or city, I guess there are different opinions. I am new to this site & just stumbled on it while looking for info. on Hedgesville.

We have lived in NH for 19 years now. It's rural & reminds us of WVA. That's why we chose this area. Packed up our two kids in a Ryder, left our families & made a new life here. It was a good decision, we could not have had the home we have & the opportunities we have had here. Plus, we've done & seen a lot of things here that we would not have been able to had we stayed in WVA. But let me tell you, it was quite a culture shock.

Sounds to me like Martinsburg, Hedgesville, etc. is not much different from Wheeling. Wheeling has it's bad areas but it also has some really nice areas.
I grew up across from Wheeling Park. I truly miss WVA & have always wanted to return. We go back about once a year. Still have family there (My husband also, he's from Martins Ferry OH). My husband & I have always talked about retiring in WVA somewhere.

House prices have risen in Wheeling but you get so much more for your money in the WVA area. Homes here are outrageous. Property taxes are out of sight. We love it here but we also miss home & family.

We left Wheeling because my husband was as far as he could go in his job. It's not just the southern part of the state that it's hard to find a job in, as I've read on some of the posts. Wheeling was also that way. We wanted our kids to have more opportunities when they got older. I don't know about the rest of the state but there is a lot of nepotism in the Northern Panhandle.

Thanks for the info. on traffic, that was my next question. If we moved to Hedgesville, my husband would have to drive approx. 1 1/2 hrs. to Laurel Md. We looked at property in Md & Va but like I said above, WVA is the best deal for your money. We're used to the rural life & are looking for a place to stay that way. So WVA seems a good choice.

Thanks again, I will take all of your advice into consideration.

Levi,

I'm not going to comment on Martinsburg but will on the following

Thanks for the info. on traffic, that was my next question. If we moved to Hedgesville, my husband would have to drive approx. 1 1/2 hrs. to Laurel Md. We looked at property in Md & Va but like I said above, WVA is the best deal for your money. We're used to the rural life & are looking for a place to stay that way. So WVA seems a good choice.

90 minutes to Laurel, Maryland? That will be very difficult.
If your husband is working close to the 1 in Laurel, and if your talking about Laurel in Prince George County, MD, unless he is working the graveyard shift then 90 minutes is out of the question. During a morning commute you can safely guess 2-3 hours. Being on the NE corner of DC and SE down of Baltimore you will need to fight the 70/270 or 70/695 or 340/70/270/495/1 corridors.
When I lived in Martinsburg, Most of my business was in Baltimore, Jessup, and Hyattsville, MD. Long story short I used to stay at a hotel off what is now RT100 Dorsey all week then return on the weekend.

A suggestion: If Hedgesville is on your mind (and yes I talked about my commute when Berkeley had half the population it does now) then you should come to the B'urg. Stay at the hotel off Exit 16 in I-81 Edwin Miller Blvd. And for testing purposes, do the route a couple times. It's better to try than not and face a burnt out, grumpy, unhealthy husband.

Also, at one time Martinsburg and Wheeling could be cousins, back in the 70's and prior. Today, Berkeley is nothing like Ohio County.

Good Luck Levi. Feel free to PM me. I spent many years on the road there and pretty much know every nook and cranny side road from P'burgh, to M'burgh, to Balt/Washington