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The schools are great in the Greenville area we did lots of research before we got here and both of my kids are being challenged. We were in the Schenectady school district before and I can tell you that if you don't do the work here they WILL fail you. I saw so many kids get moved up a grade just for turning in their homework at Schenectady. The graduation rate is much higher and 90% of the students do go on to college.
Summers-I don't find them too bad we moved here in late July and yes there were days that were hot but nothing I couldn't deal with and I would rather 3 months of summer than alomost 6 months of winter any day.
Crime- Again we lived in Schenectady so I saw lots of crime as a matter of fact I had several things stolen as well as drug deals in my back alley and right after we left there were several break ins in our area while people were at home sleeping. We lived near Ellis Hospital. I have yet to see that much crime here or even hear about it on TV. The crime is very low in the Greenville area.
As for proximity we live about 7 miles from a main strip like Wolf Road lots of shops, stores and restaurants. We are also about 2 hours from Atlanta, 1 1/2 from Charlotte and about 4 hours from Florida.
There is a car tax the newer the car the higher the tax but I believe you don't pay tax when you purchase the car that's how it works. There are no highway taxes here.
We did look at other areas Scotia was one of them but again the taxes in Scotia were higher than we wanted to pay. We also wanted a newer home and the ones we could afford around $200,000 were very dated and needed work. We lived in NY for about 11 years and we were just getting really tired of the weather and the taxes and again both of kids were in private schools because Schenectady has way to many issues in their district.
I'm guessing the HS your children go to is Mauldin or Riverside in Greer. Both are probably the best HS's in SC.
As for the other things, it all varies in terms of seasons as far as when they come and how long they last. I believe the car tax is paid every year, at least that is the case for NC and I think the newer the car the higher the tax is. Proximity to things depends on what you want. Atlanta, the Blue Ridges and Florida versus the Adirondacks, Catskills, Boston, NYC, Montreal, Finger Lakes and possibly even Niagara Falls all within roughly 4 hours of the locales you live/lived in.
I think the other thing people don't think about is the fact that Southern cities are newer in terms of development and are more sprawled out due to annexing more recently versus Northern cities. For instance, the populations of Greenville and Schenectady are roughly the same, but Schenectady is only 10.8 square miles, whereas Greenville is 26.1 square miles. To put that into perspective, Syracuse which is more than twice the population of Greenville is only 25.1 square miles. So, the cities in the South almost have more of a suburban like characteristic to them due to annexation recently.
Yeah there is definitely more of a suburban feel here we just love it! I am not saying that Greenville is right for everybody we have family in NY and they will never leave they love the adirondacks and the snow but for us the move to Greenville was definitely the best!!
Yeah there is definitely more of a suburban feel here we just love it! I am not saying that Greenville is right for everybody we have family in NY and they will never leave they love the adirondacks and the snow but for us the move to Greenville was definitely the best!!
It is definitely a city on the rise and I think it will be that way for a while. Upstate SC, as they call it, always was ahead of the rest of SC anyway in terms of standard of living and so forth.
Thank you all so much for responding, these were really interesting to read!
I've lived here (capital district) my entire life (I'm 30)... but I have an almost 4 year old daughter who will be starting kindergarden when she's 5, so schools are important to me. We're right in Schenectady... while I'm OK with her going to the elementary schools here, I'm not keen on her going to the middle schools... and definitely not Sch'dy High. I went there and did just fine.. my 18 year old brother is a senior there- man has it gone so downhill- very sad to me I also think crime right here where I live isn't what I'd call... low.
I know that we have PLENTY of great high schools here (Colonie schools, Bethlehem, Nisky).. but, as someone else here stated- you really do need to up your price range quite a BIT to get a nicer home. (one that you don't need to update tons and do so much work on).. even then, 'curb appeal' here isn't exactly the best (JMO, of course!!!!).
*I* would like to relocate in about 5 years so I'm doing tons and tons of research and plan to visit a few places... my husband isn't AS keen on the idea. Thankfully, we won't be ready for a bit (as I said, 5 years) so we have time to research plenty and make some decisions.
But, again, this was all soooo interesting to read! I appreciate it!
Thank you all so much for responding, these were really interesting to read!
I've lived here (capital district) my entire life (I'm 30)... but I have an almost 4 year old daughter who will be starting kindergarden when she's 5, so schools are important to me. We're right in Schenectady... while I'm OK with her going to the elementary schools here, I'm not keen on her going to the middle schools... and definitely not Sch'dy High. I went there and did just fine.. my 18 year old brother is a senior there- man has it gone so downhill- very sad to me I also think crime right here where I live isn't what I'd call... low.
I know that we have PLENTY of great high schools here (Colonie schools, Bethlehem, Nisky).. but, as someone else here stated- you really do need to up your price range quite a BIT to get a nicer home. (one that you don't need to update tons and do so much work on).. even then, 'curb appeal' here isn't exactly the best (JMO, of course!!!!).
*I* would like to relocate in about 5 years so I'm doing tons and tons of research and plan to visit a few places... my husband isn't AS keen on the idea. Thankfully, we won't be ready for a bit (as I said, 5 years) so we have time to research plenty and make some decisions.
But, again, this was all soooo interesting to read! I appreciate it!
I will say that before looking outside of the state, try looking at other parts of Upstate NY, that are more affordable and still have a high quality of education and safety. For instance, here in the Syracuse area, you will have suburban districts with a range of housing prices, but are still of high quality and offers various programs like Liverpool, East Syracuse-Minoa, Baldwinsville, North Syracuse, Onondaga, West Genesee and some others. So, sometimes it might not be so much as the whole state is on the same level in terms of cost of living.
Thanks for the links
I actually have researched MANY parts of NY state (mainly the Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo areas).. I'm quite fond of those areas and have been to them ALL many, many times (I also have relatives that live in those areas).
The thing is.. it would be nice to escape some cold too, you know? I'm not talking Florida or anything (that's a bit much for me)... but we just get soooo much snow here, and I know Western NY gets even more.
I know the 'sunbelt states' are not always "what they're cracked up to be".. grass isn't always greener- right?! But I'm an *extensive* researcher when it comes down to stuff like this.. I would never, ever make a move unless I knew it was going to be perfect for our family.
I also like change... and it's hard for me to imagine being in one state my whole life without experiencing more. My husband is from the Netherlands - I'd like my turn!!!
But, it's all still unknown. I have tons more researching and thinking to do. Like I mentioned, it wouldn't even happen for 5 more years (we're saving for a downpayment).. so.. I have time.
Thanks for the links
I actually have researched MANY parts of NY state (mainly the Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo areas).. I'm quite fond of those areas and have been to them ALL many, many times (I also have relatives that live in those areas).
The thing is.. it would be nice to escape some cold too, you know? I'm not talking Florida or anything (that's a bit much for me)... but we just get soooo much snow here, and I know Western NY gets even more.
I know the 'sunbelt states' are not always "what they're cracked up to be".. grass isn't always greener- right?! But I'm an *extensive* researcher when it comes down to stuff like this.. I would never, ever make a move unless I knew it was going to be perfect for our family.
I also like change... and it's hard for me to imagine being in one state my whole life without experiencing more. My husband is from the Netherlands - I'd like my turn!!!
But, it's all still unknown. I have tons more researching and thinking to do. Like I mentioned, it wouldn't even happen for 5 more years (we're saving for a downpayment).. so.. I have time.
You might actually like the Upstate SC area then. It actually has 4 seasons too. Asheville NC and Knoxville TN are also similar and all three have mountains close by. I know a lot of people are going to Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill as well. I have a brother in the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area of VA and he loves it. So, it does depend on where you want to go.
I'm actually researching right now in Georgia- towards the Atlanta area (not IN Atlanta, in the burbs upwards of 45 minutes or so from Atlanta). I would like to be within an hour of a larger city with things to do- that's one of the issues I have with the Albany area We have Lake George.. but otherwise, not so much within an hour (of course, we have PLENTY of big cities within 2-4 hours). I'm a city girl at heart- but wouldn't choose to live directly in one (would prefer the safety and lower crime of the suburbs I've researched).
Right now I'm in the midst of researching schools, areas, etc.. my husband laughs at me with all the time I spend researching. I say it just makes me more educated.. right?
I'm actually researching right now in Georgia- towards the Atlanta area (not IN Atlanta, in the burbs upwards of 45 minutes or so from Atlanta). I would like to be within an hour of a larger city with things to do- that's one of the issues I have with the Albany area We have Lake George.. but otherwise, not so much within an hour (of course, we have PLENTY of big cities within 2-4 hours). I'm a city girl at heart- but wouldn't choose to live directly in one (would prefer the safety and lower crime of the suburbs I've researched).
Right now I'm in the midst of researching schools, areas, etc.. my husband laughs at me with all the time I spend researching. I say it just makes me more educated.. right?
I would say to be careful of which suburbs of Atlanta you pick, as some still have higher than average crime rates. You might like the Raleigh area then, as it is pretty safe even within Raleigh city limits. Charlotte might work, as it is the 18th biggest city in the US right now. I have sister that lives there in the University City neighborhood by UNC-Charlotte and likes it.
Actually, there are plenty of low crime 'burbs there-
Hopefully this link works:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
(that's comparing Sch'dy and a 'burb outside of Atlanta)
Charlotte has WAY too much crime:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed
You would laugh if you knew all the research I did I promise!!! I knocked off Charlotte a bit ago (it was on my original cities to research).. I find the schools to be better in certain parts of 'burbian Atlanta (certainly NOT all, by any means).. and there's not enough for me to do in Raleigh.
The Atlanta is DEFINITELY on my high list (and you're VERY right about the crime in Atlanta- directly IN the city is rather high- and SOME 'burbs are very high also.. I knocked those off my list immediately)... I'm looking at 8 different cities as of now, and all of them have VERY low crime
Last edited by Yac; 02-23-2010 at 05:53 AM..
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I also think crime right here where I live isn't what I'd call... low.
I'm not talking Florida or anything (that's a bit much for me)... but we just get soooo much snow here, and I know Western NY gets even more.
I promise!!! I knocked off Charlotte a bit ago (it was on my original cities to research).. I find the schools to be better in certain parts of 'burbian Atlanta (certainly NOT all, by any means).. and there's not enough for me to do in Raleigh. 
