Charleston area

[kookamus]

Originally Posted by SaDiablo

West Side hill can be nice, especially close to Edgewood. But if you've never lived in Charleston it would be harder to pick a good spot, since there are places (like closer to Patrick Street) where even the Hill isn't as good.
Most of my life I lived on Campbell's Creek, so it's not like I'm priveleged or trying to say those areas aren't nice in sections. Like someone else mentioned, though, Charleston is kinda strange in that a safe street can be two blocks from relative hell.

What are you calling hell? As for bad neighborhoods there's not a place i haven't been in Chas and been bothered. I used to have to go to roseberry circle and never had a problem. East end? I'd walk through there with a $3000 suit. I bicycle all over this town with complete confidence. Where you have to worry is the hollers out of town. I've run across some unfriendly hillwilliams all hopped up on booze and dope. (i always carry in the netherlands)

[Bob Hannah]

Well Thursday and Friday are the big days we have been waiting for,flying in from SLC and staying in Charleston 2 nights. We will be beating the bushes looking for our new city and possibly home. Although the home part really will have to wait until we sell this house out here. I'd like to thank everyone for the replies, good or bad.

Thanks again
Bob

[vec101]

While the towns of course are easy to find, the neighborhoods/developments aren't always so easy. You can drive a mile - or several miles - up a road thinking
A.that you must have taken a wrong turn and you're lost in the middle of nowhere with only trees, mountains, and deer
or B. you're driving into the pits of hell
or C. the houses you are passing are pretty run down and it's not really where you want to live
but then suddenly you will make a turn and the most gorgeous (and often expensive) development/neighborhood will appear. Often, instead of basing your selection on the town itself you'll find you'd be better off selecting the development or neighborhood.

Trust me, I am not exaggerating.

Also, if you have a GPS system, I'd bring it if you are looking at houses. Really makes finding many of the houses a lot easier.

The main cities/town I would check out at least at first are:
Charleston
Kanawha City
South Charleston - Corridor G area of it
Cross Lanes
Teays Valley/Scott Depot/Hurricane (they pretty much all run together)
Winfield
St. Albans
Elkview/Pinch

[harborlady]

vec that's exactly what I meant- the only rhyme or reason I could see from one block to another block is how well the neighbors stuck together, and by how well they maintained a property within their means. You don't have to be wealthy to cut your grass or keep trash in a can, for instance.

Dunbar was odd. Waterfront property on the west side of the river was wonderful, but parking was a bit cranky. When I went on the east side waterfront property things felt creepy there.

Goofy as it sounds, walking the neighborhood at night tells you everything you'll have to live with, so I highly recommend it before deciding on a purchase. Talk to the neighbors, ask what they know. I have a neighborhood where people laugh on their porch in the evening. Thursday night is music night because one neighbors musician friends practice on his porch. Us hens sit in lawn chairs for a free concert. hehehe

[vec101]

Harborlady,
Yea, it's pretty crazy - guess it's cuz there just is not that much land.

I wasn't just talking about Chas neighborhoods, I was referring more to the fact that in the greater Kanawha Valley, you can drive through some dilapidated hollers (close to downtown and way out) and you may think you will end up in Deliverence but then you will make a turn and come to a really nice housing complex. Have driven around a lot in the last few years looking at property and houses - have gotten a little frightened a few times sure that I was lost, then pop -there is the place I am looking for. Have also found most roads eventually lead to a major highway/road. I really need to get a gps.

[vec101]

Lots of helpful info here.