Considering Charleston for residency

[charlestonmom]

I graduated from MUSC, and it is an excellent hospital! (MS - Cytology and Biosciences).
Downtown - I assume you would want to be semi-close to MUSC. If so, Spring Street and Cannon Street have newly renovated condos and apartments on them. I did a little checking, and you can get a very nice place for low-end $1000 - $1500 high-end in that area. The high-end are brand new condos on Cannon Street, very nice. Having gone to school there, I think you would enjoy living close to MUSC much more than living in Mt. Pleasant! / especially if you will be working long or late hours. The bridge to Mt. Pleasant is very nice now, but if there is an accident on it or as you get into Mt. Pleasant, the traffic is terrible! The traffic in Mt. Pleasant can be terrible at anytime. Don't get me wrong, traffic downtown can be unpleasant too, but if you lived very close, it would not really be an issue. You would be around many more people similiar to you too downtown. Many people who live and work at MUSC live close, as well as many College of Charleston students. There are restaraunts, drug stores, shops, etc...in walking distance in the MUSC area. If you lived downtown, you could get a bike and get just about anywhere at anytime.
About MUSC--My son had heart surgery there, and he was admitted for Rotavirus for 8 days there too. I have had EXCEPTIONAL care and wonderful experiences there. The physicians and nurses are the best I have encountered anywhere. I also organize a toy drive every year with my Homeowners' Association for the Children's hospital. It is an amazing place for children, and a great place for learning as well. So, good luck with your decision.

p.s.-- Google Spring Str and Cannon Street properties and see what you can find. Bee Str., Rutledge and Ashley Ave. as well. hope that helps

[emilybh]

Originally Posted by pcamps

I would tend to disagree that the cost of living is much cheaper downtown compared to most places in New England
The only real difference in the cost of living i have noticed for myself between Newport RI where we relocated from, and Charleston is Gas and cigarettes .
Homes to buy and rent downtown Charleston are comparable to Newport RI, and Newport is expensive.

I moved from Newport also and I think one thing that is cheaper here are prices of food in expensive restaurants. I think the expensive restuarants in Newport charge more and the food isn't as good. Maybe it is because there are more restaurants here and more competition.

Having been both a home owner, a landlady and a renter at various times over the last 20+ years in Newport, RI, before I moved here last winter, I think you will find that you have to pay more $$$ in downtown historic Charleston to be in a comparably nice section than you'll pay for a year-round rental or home purchase in historic Newport in a nice section. But Charleston is a city and and Newport is really just a summer resort town so it is apples and oranges - really. I lived in various places in Newport including living right by the waterfront and restaurants to a mile away from the waterfront but still near restaurants.

I've found that comparable rents and neighborhoods are found on northern James Island or West Ashley which leaves you still very close to downtown (about a 1 or 2 minute drive over the short Ashley River Bridge). On northern James Island and in West Ashley you'd still be in Charleston -- just not right downtown.

You could also look at places closest to the bridge in Mt. Pleasant but the drive downtown will be a lot longer as the bridge you have to drive over is much longer. Renting or buying downtown in historic Charleston may however, very well be less than downtown Boston.

[emilybh]

I rented a place via www.charlestonrealestateguide.com

You also might want to subscribe to the Post and Courier as there are lots of rentals not listed on MLS that are advertised in the paper. You can get a subscription for the electronic version so you can get it every day without waiting for it to be mailed up to you. Just go to www.charleston.net anc click on E-edition.

[LoveCharlestonLifestyle]

To add to the cost of living discussion - I was comparing it to my experience living in NYC, where I paid $1600/month for a 400sq ft studio. (one of the reasons why I moved to Chas.!) For $1600/month in a great location in downtown Charleston, I can get a nice 2BR. For YoungDocMA - it really comes down to what kind of lifestyle you want if you decide to move here. You'd find cheaper rent the farther out from downtown you go, but then you'd have to factor in the cost of parking, driving, gas etc....plus the extra time you spend commuting.

Great reply by charlestonmom by the way

[LoveCharlestonLifestyle]

one more thing - best place to look for rentals now is Craigslist. Very few people put their listings in the local newspaper anymore because it costs $$.

[moneill]

It is cheaper to live in Charleston but I think you don't make as much either. Can't say for sure.....but I think that wages are a tad lower than NYC and Boston area <G>.