Buying a home outside of Charleston, what are these little towns all about? (Huntington: real estate)

[Worriedmommy]

Dear Charleston folks,

I posted before about the possibility of my multi-racial family moving to the Charleston area. We're browsing real estate ads adn we know nothing about the little towns around Charleston. Is it important to stay within city limits? What are these places like NITRO like? I am amazed at the property values in these areas, it's like beyond a persons wildest dreams to find the perfect little house on the perfect little piece of land many with barns or xmas tree farms or acreage adn only 20 minutes or so from Charleston. What kind of schools do these areas have? Is it like moving to Mayberry? Lots of friendly folks? I'm trying to paint a picture in my mind of the neighborhoods, and towns in the area and I have nothing to go on. Any good websites with visuals of the area for a blue print?

Just wondering. Also, when folks say "A,B,C" are the "good" neighborhoods, what does that mean? We were told to move to a specific school district when we moved here to Bloomington IL because it was "good" and the other was "bad". After 4 years of living here we have mixed feelings about that. The "bad" school district is where many of our friends kids go and they all think it's a great school district. The "good" school district is mostly white. Where are some nice neighborhoods with diverse schools? To us a good neighborhood is clean, friendly neighbors, house values that will increase, schools with teachers who will love and care for our kindergartner's emotional and academic needs (not test scores), friends to play with down the block a place to ride her bike, parks close enough to walk to. Where would this be? We also are both white collar workers with working class roots. We are more comfortable hanging out with folks who are a mix of both as well. We are first generation college goers and so hanging out with people who like a good game of bowling is just as fun as a group who likes to play a good game of golf. We don't want to be surrounded by people that are used to being privledged or on the other hand be surrounded by people who are used to suffering. We want to be surrounded by people who are trying to make it or who are making it but understand where we are coming from. A tall order I know, just wanting some feedback.

Thanks

[Lorann]

I'm sure people will respond to you, we're looking for the same kind of area you're describing. Check out greatschools.net for some school info. I've talked to some of the Charleston and Huntington schools and will be touring them when we come out in May to get a "feel" for them. I don't think hubby and I will settle in the outlying towns, I want to have access to local stores and shops. I'd be happy if I never saw a generic Wal-Mart on every corner commuter town again. We either want to be in the city or on some acreage, no more suburbs for us (I hope). Much luck to you.

[atlantagreg30127]

I grew up in Charleston but moved away in the 80s, so it's changed a lot since then and others will have to comment on what schools to look for NOW.

I will tell you to avoid Nitro, though. Nitro has a chemical plant and the whole area smells like rotten eggs off and on. There is a "Nitro bridge" that when you cross it you get that smell which many visitors comment on. So unless you like your home to smell like 8 dogs are continuously farting in it, avoid that area.

Kanawha City was and is a good area, as well as South Hills. Again, any others current residents will have to comment on.

[wv4life]

I have lived in the Charleston Metro area my whole life and there are many GREAT communities in this area. If you have kids I personally recommend that you live outside the city. The thing about schools are that overall all the schools in a 20 mile radius of Charleston are about equally good. Every public school is average/average high and if you want there is also Charleston Catholic which is a great school and also great in sports. But anyway back to which town/cities to live. I would suggest any of the communities on I64 east toward Huntington (except for the Nitro area), these are close to Downtown Charleston which offers you Town Center Mall, which is a GREAT mall with 3 floors of shopping, BUT if you want to be around any other shopping centers in Charleston like WalMart/Sams, Kohls, Staples/Office Max--these type of stores you would want to live on the Corridor G (Rt. 119) area. I suggest not living in the area with all the shopping but more south of this area. The best communities south of charleston is either Alum Creek (about 10 miles south) or Madison (about 20 miles away). Personally, if you like the perks of being close to Charleston but like not being in the city everyday I think the best place is probably the Madison area (only reason I didn't pick Alum Creek is because it is pretty rural and if you needed basically ANYTHING you would need to drive into charleston). Madison has GREAT schools and has its own stores that you can go to pick something up without having to drive to Charleston. Madison is the only city in Boone County and has its own places to eat (fast food or sit-down), grocery stores, small version of a Walmart (Magic Mart), and Scott High School (which is the best school in the "south of charleston" area with excellent sports program(scholarship school for football esp.). Madison also has its own Community College as well. All the communities in the Charleston area is good BUT they are all extremely dependent upon Charleston except for Madison. The only downfall of Madison is that property/houses in the City limits is a bit pricey compared to alot of other areas...but much worth it!...if you decide on Madison the BEST communities are: Holly Hills, Country Estates, West Madison, Hospital Bottom/Miller Hill...AVOID: Newport, 6mile, low gap, south madison, any area on RT 17 past the Golf Coarse!

[justsum13lse]

I have lived in Cross Lanes, Nitro, Charleston, Kanawha City, South Charleston, St. Albans...and I think that about covers it. I have lived in every little city on the outskirts of Charleston there is. I have spent alot of time in Madison and Alum Creek as well, but I never lived there. I went to high school at Nitro. Nitro is a pretty crappy little town, but the high school is good. I don't know about housing prices in Cross Lanes, but that is a great town. The only bad part is there is traffic during rush hour times, but it moves and is never stuck. South Hills would be a town of the "privileged" and if you don't want to live with a bunch of rich people, there is a neighborhood or two that isn't full of them. But all the schools in South Hills are full of rich kids. Kanawha City is alright. St. Albans is ok...but it connects to Jefferson, the "red light district" which is full of strip clubs and porn shops. But it has alright schools. Many neighborhoods, not much acreage in the town. But all of these towns have back roads where this is acreage. And none of these towns are dependant on trips to charleston except Alum Creek. My personal favorite spot to live were Cross Lanes. But there is also Poca, which is down the road from Nitro, there is acreage and its not that far from town, but there is nothing really there. Then there is Big Chimney. Once again, not that far from town, but nothing there but acreage. And I am sure you can find cheap houses. Schools, I went to Cross Lanes based schools. Maybe I am biased because I grew up primarily in that area, but from the time I was 14-21 I moved around to all the other places. I have to say I loved Cross Lanes. There will be plenty of kids for your kid to be friends with as well as good schools and everything else you need to live. Once agian, I am not sure about Property values, but I am sure if youw ant acreage you can find it on the back roads, and if you search you will find something in your price range.
mike

[thebalogas]

I just want to say that I grew up in St. Albans and your "red light district" as you call it is only a problem if you let it be. My parents house is nowhere near there, closer to Putnam county actually. We knew nothing about that area of St. Albans. There are a lot of nice areas in St Albans as well as rural areas out Coal River Road and Lower Falls. Please don't group all of St. Albans as the "bad" part of town. Every town or city has an area that is not as wonderful as the rest, that doesn't mean it is the main core of the town and you have to be a part of it.

[snorpus]

How was Bridge Day?

(This thread is over a year and a half old, so I don't feel too bad hijacking it )

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by Worriedmommy

Dear Charleston folks,

I posted before about the possibility of my multi-racial family moving to the Charleston area.... The "bad" school district is where many of our friends kids go and they all think it's a great school district. The "good" school district is mostly white.

Geez, so let me see...the "bad" school has no racial tag attached, but the good school, you label as "mostly white"? Is it somehow taboo to say the bad school was mostly black? I consider that racism by omission.

I see this post all over the forum: "I'm a blahblah-american, or a multi-XX; I am different than everyone and I want you to know it, but at the same time I want you to ignore it and accept me/us because we're diverse" How about getting over it; drop the labels and just be a damn American. Acclimate and assimilate to whatever area you move to. Don't expect everyone to accept you because you're different, and don't cry "racism/sexism/anti-X-ism" if someone dislike you.

[vec101]

Wonder if WorriedMommy moved to the Chas area and, if so ,where she moved to.

[harborlady]

LOL snorpus- I didn't notice how old this was until you mentioned it.

I think the schools issue for all of charleston is about to be moot. There's talk of massive consolidation plans and just bus kids further to save on costs of building maint and heating since class sizes have shrunk over the years. Kids in my neighborhood are in school @ kanawha city. Wonder what will become of the watts elementary school- seems like it would make a good place for a fire dept in the hills. Maybe I should ask about it in the mayors office.