Thinking of moving to Hedgesville? (Martinsburg, Belle: buying, zoning, statistics)

[kfreeman5]

Georgia - I'm with you! Moved here for a 'better' life and good place to raise kids. Here two years now and miserable every minute of it. I know life is what you make it but commuting to make more than 30K a year sucks so I'm moving back home out of state. Grass isn't always greener. Hopefully I can unload my overpriced house that teeters on the edge of hville/mburg.

[Threerun]

Funny- I'm now sitting in a conference room 30 miles as the crow flies from Berkeley County WV (outside of Leesburg VA ) and I see a sign for a shoe box home on a manicured .15 acre lot for $600,000 and you folks have the nerve to bash Hedgesville, or Berkeley County......

You should try to put things into perspective once in a while. Including Georgia....

Berkeley County isn't as bad as you make it out to be....

[David Kennedy]

My son lives in Germantown and is beginning to view that rat race with the perspective of a person in his early 30's. His home is valued at 1 mill on a 1/4 acre lot and the taxes tell him about it every year...as he can work his job from home on the computer..he could commute to the office once a week from our airport...
He is waiting for the next cycle to happen...about 2013...then dump all that crap over there and come home with the money...
When they come back, I'll tie yellow ribbons on every tree for the entire mile of road-way that leads to our home.

[Threerun]

The eastern panhandle may not be everyone's cup of tea but the reality is that there are few areas in our state that have the luxury of growth and the potential revenue generation that comes with it.

Our state demographics are fairly graphic in that they show a heavy shift towards an older population and an industrial/business base that cannot support real wage earners. The future moves out, then moves back in when they retire. WV loses all that which would come between. Lost opportunity is what we call it.

Additionally, without the business tax base, the lions share of expenses for caring for an aging population will have to fall back onto the state, then ultimately back on the taxpayers (you and I). Increased taxpayer burden is what we call it.

Personally I hope the Eastern Panhandle can leverage their growth to the benefit of their community and the rest of the state. I for one simply will not bite the hand that potentially feeds me. I strongly encourage the state to make the reforms necessary in order to really capitalize on the potential that is presented to them instead of treating it as "that DC suburb over yonder" and simply continue to snub it.

Foolish, foolish, foolish....

[David Kennedy]

Riddle:

How does a state legislature operate in the 21 century when they have 19th century brains?

Answer:
They don't...because they won't be here in that future time.

If they had a brain, they would fund coal gasification, sell the oil products,
educated the entire population with the proceeds and create the new jobs
that this present new century will demand.

We deserve more than a new addiction...our legacy has been liquior and
tobacco. Now we are making tobacco unaffordable and replacing it with
gambling. When a person is liquiored up, he becomes a better gambler.

thanks for the Thursday vent..

[Threerun]

amen to that.

[poppimds007]

Originally Posted by Chaplain

Rudy...

My family and I have lived here for teh past 10 years in the Inwood area which is about 15 minutes from Hedgesville. My wife was born and raised here.. but moved away to college where we met and we only returned in order to help with her ailing father.

As for Hedgesville, I can tell you what I know based on the fact that we lived there for about a year before buying in Inwood. Hedgesville is still rural, and is very REDNECK.

Th cost of living and houses there is the same as all of the surrounding areas of Martinsburg. There is very little in Hedgesville other than a Food Lion and Burger King. You will have to go to Martinsburg to get what you need. Cell Phone coverage in Hedgesville is poor also, and the snow removal is slow except on Rt 9 which is the main road. When I say slow... think Sloth.

Unless you live in a development as we do, you can forget about zoning. There is none. If it were not for the covenants we have, someone could very easily open a bar or used car lot next to you without you being able to do anything.

I live only 2 miles from I-81 and 1 mile from Rt 11, the two main roads through the area. I also only live about 10 minutes from downtown Martinsburg, and only 12 miles from Winchester, VA. Our neighborhood is very nice, quiet, peaceful and it's covenants protect you from the nonsense that the county will not. We have easy access to high speed internet, and unlike the northern or other parts of the county, we have "public sewer" and not septic tanks!!!! The rest of the county does not have sewer and some areas still do not have public water.

mod cut

And you still can't spell???

[stevenmimi]

Well gang - I've read all the comments regarding Hedgesville and have come to the conclusion that for the most part, it is one's own perspective that defines the opinions shared in this post. My family and I signed a contract in a community in Hedgesville. We spent about two weeks looking in NOVA and the E. Panhandle. Ultimately it came down to home prices. We are totally priced out of NOVA, unless we want to live in a modest two bed home. We looked in Shepherdstown, Charles-town and Harpers ferry. Ultimately we came to Hedgesville which is somewhat rural but also very close to all the amenties anyone would need. Home-prices were on average 30-40K cheaper for equivalent housing in Jefferson County. So far the only downside I can ascertain is my commute into Reston, approx an hour and a half.
During our visit to the area we noted signficant construction in the area; the expansion of Rt 9 and buisness popping up along the I-81 corridor. Also, with the IRS, Coast Guard and DHS moving into the area and most likely addtional govt. facilities due to the high operating cost in DC, the future of Jefferson and Berkely is very promising. WV will continue to maintain it's quaint rural areas, but will also continue to grow and offer addtional services and opportunities to the surrounding community.
We are very happy (and excited) about the opportunity that has been afforded to us and look forward to moving into the area late summer.
I just hope that my company will reconsider it policy on tele-commuting!
Finally, our children will be attending school in Hedgesville. Based on the research the I have seen on the schools their, the Hedgesville schools seem to be more desirable then other schools in the area. Regardless, it is up to the parents and the students to ensure that the kids perform well.
See you soon

[Janipoo]

Originally Posted by stevenmimi

Well gang - I've read all the comments regarding Hedgesville and have come to the conclusion that for the most part, it is one's own perspective that defines the opinions shared in this post. My family and I signed a contract in a community in Hedgesville. We spent about two weeks looking in NOVA and the E. Panhandle. Ultimately it came down to home prices. We are totally priced out of NOVA, unless we want to live in a modest two bed home. We looked in Shepherdstown, Charles-town and Harpers ferry. Ultimately we came to Hedgesville which is somewhat rural but also very close to all the amenties anyone would need. Home-prices were on average 30-40K cheaper for equivalent housing in Jefferson County. So far the only downside I can ascertain is my commute into Reston, approx an hour and a half.
During our visit to the area we noted signficant construction in the area; the expansion of Rt 9 and buisness popping up along the I-81 corridor. Also, with the IRS, Coast Guard and DHS moving into the area and most likely addtional govt. facilities due to the high operating cost in DC, the future of Jefferson and Berkely is very promising. WV will continue to maintain it's quaint rural areas, but will also continue to grow and offer addtional services and opportunities to the surrounding community.
We are very happy (and excited) about the opportunity that has been afforded to us and look forward to moving into the area late summer.
I just hope that my company will reconsider it policy on tele-commuting!
Finally, our children will be attending school in Hedgesville. Based on the research the I have seen on the schools their, the Hedgesville schools seem to be more desirable then other schools in the area. Regardless, it is up to the parents and the students to ensure that the kids perform well.
See you soon

True, as far as growth every area has experienced in the last few years. Were we moved from in AA county there was growth....mind you houses on tiny lots that made them look like townhouses.

I personally liked Hedgesville and looked at at few communities there. We really liked Harlan Run but no ranchers were for sale. We ended up in Falling Waters and I just felt that if we were going to commit to WV than I wanted to be a little further in than 2 miles but it all worked out, I have Hagerstown and Martinsburg for amenities.

As far as DC suburbs, lets see what is bringing them here? Oh, thats right they either couldn't afford to live there anymore or wanted a little nicer/bigger home. I do know that they sure don't seem to have the mentality of the DC area.

[TrsrHuntr]

I have been a life long resident of Martinsburg WV and I am absolutely offended that event the moderator cannot show enough decency to give someone advice. If you don't like our state, then please by all means. Get out and stay away and keep your nasty, negative, demeaning and inaccurate statistics to yourself!! You are the type of person that gives WV a bad name!

SHAME ON YOU GEORGIA!!!!