Moving to WV - need advice (Morgantown, Clarksburg: real estate, foreclosures, townhouses)

[CA****4]

Hey Everyone -- I'm looking for some help on my research of moving to WV
I’ve looked into Lewisberg, Beckely, Petersburg, and matrinsburg.

I want to live in a town in WV that is away from the coal miners or industries.
I want to live in a town (near a town) that supports homeschooling and has homeschooling groups/educational or social classes. I need an area that is close to ‘building sites’ because my DH is a contractor/carpenter.

I need to have a little bit of the ‘4 season weather’, but I’d like not to have the high humidity and 3 feet of snow. I want to live in WV for the low taxes and low housing costs. I also want to live close enough to Virginia or DC so that I can go shopping (within 30 minutes). I want to live near enough to a hospital where I know my kids can get good healthcare. Does such place exist?

I have searched the forums and people go from one extreme to the other on WV. I don’t mind being near hillbillies or rednecks as long as they’re educated on LIFE and have manners (not just being lazy, sitting around all day, complaining about things). I have heard awesome things about Berkley springs, the mountain view, the clean air, and being able to see the stars at night….. BUT… I have no idea where to start looking for real estate.

Thanks, Amanda from upstate NY (town of pop. 5000)

[NOVAmtneer82]

If its close proximity to Virginia and DC you seek then your only option is the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Berkeley Springs is a beautiful town but you are much more than 30 minutes away from the Virginia border.

I would suggest checking into Shepherdstown. The town has a historic, quaint Main Street (called German Street) filled with bistros, cafes, galleries, restaurants, and shops. The town is home to the liberal arts Shepherd University which has about 7,000 students and provides some great cultural stimulation. The actual permanent resident population is about 1,500. Of course if you want the real deal then the museums and entertainment venues of DC and Baltimore are only about 70 miles away.

Shepherdstown has the basics like a grocery store but Charles Town and Martinsburg have large retail centers with movie theaters, big box stores, chain restaurants, etc. For nice mall shopping you will have to head over to the northern VA or Maryland burbs of DC but most of the major malls in the metro area can be reached in under an hour and a half. There is a large outlet mall in Hagerstown MD which is about 20 minutes away.

What do you consider "low housing costs?" The Eastern Panhandle is probably the most expensive area to live in West Virginia but it is MUCH cheaper than Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC.

[RD35]

The area you are talking about sounds a lot like Martinsburg-Berkeley County or Jefferson County. This area is in the far eastern panhandle of the state and is 15-20 minutes to MD and VA and 90 minutes to Washington, DC/Baltimore. The City of Martinsburg has approx 17,000 residents, Berkeley County 102,000, and Jefferson County 51,000.

If your husband is a contractor this is the best part of the state for him. Berkeley County has issued about 35% of all building permits for the entire state and neighboring Jefferson County around 10% the last several years. So basically about half of all new homes built in the state come from two counties.

Shopping: There are a lot of new 'Big Box' stores in Martinsburg and If you can't find it here you will within 30-45 minutes.

Weather: We have 4 season weather and don't receive much snow, on average 12-18 inches per year.

Real Estate: If you are looking for a good deal on a house you will certainly find it here. As NOVAmtneer82 mentioned Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties are much higher than the rest of the state, but compared to MD, VA, and DC this area is a real bargain. Foreclosures have really make housing affordable again. I have seen new 3BR townhouses for $99,900 wow.

[instigator59]

It really depends on what you are looking for to best suggest where to look. I live in WV and depending on what you are looking for on where to tell you to check into. What do you consider low housing costs? Where I live isn't that cheap as far as WV housing but at the same time it may be considered cheap to you and your family. I agree with the previos poster if you want to be close to DC. It just depends on what all you are looking for on where to tell you to check out. Most of WV has home school programs, so I don't think that would be a problem for you.

[CA****4]

thanks NOVAmtneer82, I'll look into Shepherdstown.
By 'low housing costs' I mean 100-175K (140K would be perfect)
We would def. need something with 3 bedrooms and at least 3 acres of land....
Sorry I didn't make that clear the first time around

RD35
what is the difference between
Berkeley County and Jefferson County
other than the obvious population differences.

I suppose I should better explain shopping too.
I am not really interested in big expensive shopping malls, but more looking for target, walmart, HD, lowes, SAMS, BJ's, Supermarkets etc.
I only shop at the big expensive malls every NEVER once in awhile.
I do however like to walk around and people watch there sometimes...

Instigator59
I do not have to be near DC. The more I have researched it seems Hagerstown MD and Winchester VA both have a TON of stuff available and they're closer than DC.



I also forgot to ask about mountain views.
Is it frequent to get mountain views in this area?
If not, which areas might I look into so that I could have my mountain views??

THANKS
Amanda from NY

[ki0eh]

$140k 3 br AND 3 acres AND near to job opportunities for construction, is going to be tough. My BIL who works construction and lives 15 mi outside Cumberland MD, has to drive down to Martinsburg WV or even Winchester VA sometimes on jobs, and even in the Cumberland area (including Mineral County, WV, considered by some also the "Eastern Panhandle"), hitting that price/acreage target on an older doublewide is difficult if not impossible. Plus the boxes beyond Wal-Mart have so far bypassed Keyser and Cumberland, they really do drive down to Hagerstown and Martinsburg to shop.

What was overbuilt and foreclosing in Berkeley County was townhouses. Berkeley County basically has a "pave the earth" policy, compared to nearby Jefferson and Washington County MD that put much more restrictions on developers. The developers like southern Franklin County, PA (just over the border) almost as much as Berkeley County.

Maybe a ways outside Morgantown or Clarksburg you might be able to hit your target. But that will have more of a winter than the Eastern Panhandle too.

[RD35]

You can definately find a 3BR in your price range, but it will be on a quarter acre. There are quite a few deals on Ranchers, Split Foyers, and Colonials in the 120-175k range, but it will have a small lot. If you are looking for 3 acres you may want to look in the Hedgesville area, but again it will be difficult in your price range.

There's not much difference between the two counties (Berkeley and Jefferson).

Jefferson is closer to Washington, DC/Northern Virginia and as mentioned above has more restrictions on developers. Jefferson County is rural, scenic, and historic with several smaller towns and cities: Shepherdstown, Harpers Ferry, Charles Town, and Ranson.

Berkeley County is more commercialized and growing at a faster rate because of no zoning and Interstate 81 going through the middle of the county. The county is centered around Martinsburg, but other communities and towns are Hedgesville, Gerrardstown, and Inwood. Both counties you will find mountain views, but I would recommend checking out Hedgesville/Gerrardstown area for great views.

As for shopping, the expensive malls you are referring to would be in Northern Virginia or MD. Around Martinsburg we have the chain stores such as Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Lowes, etc. and a mall with Walmart, Bon Ton, JC Penney, and Sears. Whats not in Martinsburg will be in Winchester and Hagerstown.

[David Kennedy]

I don't think Wv is the place for you...perhaps the Carolina's. Tri-cities...

We talk to a lot of people here and you seem like a square peg trying to find a round hole...sorry, just an opine.

Wv is not cheap unless a person owns their land, their house and their vehicles.

[diako_lorddm]

and I am agree with David .it is better to move to Carolina or DC.

[convex20899]

Stay away from Berkeley County. Strip bar/joint at every red light.

Vote for zoning!