Considering moving to Charleston, WV-- (South Charleston, Cross Lanes: apartments, renting, home)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Don't overlook South Charleston. City services are the best around, and there are some quite nice neighborhoods. Bear in mind that Charleston has a User Fee ($2.50/week to work inside the city) and a city sales tax. They want to raise both of those. Traffic getting to Cross Lanes and west to Teays Valley at 5:00 PM is something to think about too.
The South Hills area of Charleston is another area you might want to consider. If you have children someday, this is the area that has the best schools.
Family and I are looking at a possible relocation to Charleston. We've driven through many time but never really stayed or visited the area. We have kids so we'd be looking for a nice neighborhood with good schools. Any thoughts or opinions as to what areas to search for homes? On the same note, we'd be happy live 15-25 miles away from the center of town in a rural area or in a small town.
Family and I are looking at a possible relocation to Charleston. We've driven through many time but never really stayed or visited the area. We have kids so we'd be looking for a nice neighborhood with good schools. Any thoughts or opinions as to what areas to search for homes? On the same note, we'd be happy live 15-25 miles away from the center of town in a rural area or in a small town.
Any suggestions?
Not to seem nosey and without naming any employer where is the job located? That itself makes some difference. South Hills schools are good but the houses themselves are mostly pricey and older. Kanawha City is nice and flat but you'd probably want to consider sending your kids to Catholic school living there. Putnam county has some good schools too but traffic to town can be pretty bad at times.
Not to seem nosey and without naming any employer where is the job located? That itself makes some difference. South Hills schools are good but the houses themselves are mostly pricey and older. Kanawha City is nice and flat but you'd probably want to consider sending your kids to Catholic school living there. Putnam county has some good schools too but traffic to town can be pretty bad at times.
Not exactly sure where the office is located. It is a bit much to explain but more than likely so long as I live within 50 miles of the place I should be good. I used to drive 25 miles one way because I've never enjoyed living 'in town.'
I was looking at Putnam County. Are their schools pretty decent? I'll check out Kanawha. We currently live in 1 of the countries 100 poorest counties so we've been sending out kids to private school their entire life. I don't mind continuing that but I'd prefer to be able to send them to public school.
Family and I are looking at a possible relocation to Charleston. We've driven through many time but never really stayed or visited the area. We have kids so we'd be looking for a nice neighborhood with good schools. Any thoughts or opinions as to what areas to search for homes? On the same note, we'd be happy live 15-25 miles away from the center of town in a rural area or in a small town.
Any suggestions?
West Virginia is likely to be a change from what you are used too. You can drive ten minutes from downtown and be in a country setting. Charleston is very compact, sort of. The urban areas are in the valley and it is about 40 miles long but only about 2 miles wide at the largest point. It runs from Montgomery WV through Charleston and then almost due west to the city of Huntington on the Ohio Kentucky border. North or south of the valley proper and you can be in a country setting in 10 to 15 minutes.
Everyone is going to give you differing opinions based on the own experiences but while it may seem like nothing to drive 25 miles where you are now, 25 miles in West Virginia can be a different story. We get snow, ice and more fog then you will believe. We don't flood like we used to but rivers can rise quickly and small backyard creeks can be a torrent in minutes. The roads reflect that sort of environment as West Virginia has really good primary roads and those avenues through well-developed neighborhoods are usually good, but the rest can be very hit and miss.
Also wildlife might be a shock to you. I live just outside the city limits south of the city between the major shopping center and Alum Creek and we have bear fencing in our yard to keep the occasional Black Bear from getting too friendly. We also have coyote issues. We have some many deer, foxes and rabbits that we think of them like people living in a large city think of pigeons. We understand that there are bobcats in the area, one was seen in a baseball dugout in Putnam County last spring, but we have so far never seen one around our property.
If you are looking for a newer property then Putnam County or the Elk River (north) are you areas. There is not a lot of stock though and people in Charleston think their houses are worth so much for what you are getting that is sometimes comical. Regardless of where you buy, get a home inspection many people here are do it yourselfers and they do it wrong most of the time and seldom with a permit.
School wise, Capital High School is located north of town and would be your district if you lived on the Elk River, a bit further north is Herbert Hoover high school. I went there and I felt lucky compared to those that went to the urban schools but when Capital was built they took a lot of the district from Hoover and the school shrank from 1300 to about 800. Capital is a focus school here and is rather large. George Washington has national recognition for excellence and the state is very involved in keeping it that way. It serves the southern portions of the city in the South Hills area.
The other schools are not bad, but do not stand out, Nitro, St Albans, South Charleston, Riverside and Sissonville - pretty far out to the northwest. Then there are the Putnam county schools, there are three, Hurricane pronounced Herkun no matter that is a hur-i-cane. It is the largest school and I think the best one down there, but there is also Winfield and Poca. The mascots for the Poca high school is Dots. The School is the Poca Dots.
I can answer more specifics if you let us know more, we are glad to help.
A word or two about West Virginians. We are very friendly to the point of being a bit blunt and nosey. We make great neighbors but don't come into our yards, we are very territorial. We wont come into yours but if you need help we will give you everything in our house.
Charleston is very diverse, cultures mix easily and you will see many mixed couples and no one bats an eye. LGBT is not an eyebrow raiser here either. but you are also likely to find a lot of people looking like they can do a stand in on Duck Dynasty. And we have very professional urbanites that travel the world. Charleston is a weird place. It can be down home and provincial minded one minute and then surprise you with a display of sophistication the next.
West Virginia is likely to be a change from what you are used too. You can drive ten minutes from downtown and be in a country setting. Charleston is very compact, sort of. The urban areas are in the valley and it is about 40 miles long but only about 2 miles wide at the largest point. It runs from Montgomery WV through Charleston and then almost due west to the city of Huntington on the Ohio Kentucky border. North or south of the valley proper and you can be in a country setting in 10 to 15 minutes.
Everyone is going to give you differing opinions based on the own experiences but while it may seem like nothing to drive 25 miles where you are now, 25 miles in West Virginia can be a different story. We get snow, ice and more fog then you will believe. We don't flood like we used to but rivers can rise quickly and small backyard creeks can be a torrent in minutes. The roads reflect that sort of environment as West Virginia has really good primary roads and those avenues through well-developed neighborhoods are usually good, but the rest can be very hit and miss.
Also wildlife might be a shock to you. I live just outside the city limits south of the city between the major shopping center and Alum Creek and we have bear fencing in our yard to keep the occasional Black Bear from getting too friendly. We also have coyote issues. We have some many deer, foxes and rabbits that we think of them like people living in a large city think of pigeons. We understand that there are bobcats in the area, one was seen in a baseball dugout in Putnam County last spring, but we have so far never seen one around our property.
If you are looking for a newer property then Putnam County or the Elk River (north) are you areas. There is not a lot of stock though and people in Charleston think their houses are worth so much for what you are getting that is sometimes comical. Regardless of where you buy, get a home inspection many people here are do it yourselfers and they do it wrong most of the time and seldom with a permit.
School wise, Capital High School is located north of town and would be your district if you lived on the Elk River, a bit further north is Herbert Hoover high school. I went there and I felt lucky compared to those that went to the urban schools but when Capital was built they took a lot of the district from Hoover and the school shrank from 1300 to about 800. Capital is a focus school here and is rather large. George Washington has national recognition for excellence and the state is very involved in keeping it that way. It serves the southern portions of the city in the South Hills area.
The other schools are not bad, but do not stand out, Nitro, St Albans, South Charleston, Riverside and Sissonville - pretty far out to the northwest. Then there are the Putnam county schools, there are three, Hurricane pronounced Herkun no matter that is a hur-i-cane. It is the largest school and I think the best one down there, but there is also Winfield and Poca. The mascots for the Poca high school is Dots. The School is the Poca Dots.
I can answer more specifics if you let us know more, we are glad to help.
A word or two about West Virginians. We are very friendly to the point of being a bit blunt and nosey. We make great neighbors but don't come into our yards, we are very territorial. We wont come into yours but if you need help we will give you everything in our house.
Charleston is very diverse, cultures mix easily and you will see many mixed couples and no one bats an eye. LGBT is not an eyebrow raiser here either. but you are also likely to find a lot of people looking like they can do a stand in on Duck Dynasty. And we have very professional urbanites that travel the world. Charleston is a weird place. It can be down home and provincial minded one minute and then surprise you with a display of sophistication the next.
Sent you a PM. Long story short, wildlife, snow, and commutes are ok with us. We've even dealt with bear issues (I have a bear rug on my wall) as we used to live in the mountains out west. We were both raised in rural farm areas and don't really care for city life. We're small town or 5 miles outside of small town types. Wife work from home so I only have to worry about any commute and won't be daily. We're most concerned with living in a area that is safe for our kids, low crime, and good schools (plus rural). I appreciate the idea of ensuring a home gets a thorough home inspection. I completely understand what you mean about the do it yourself (even it it is wrong) types. So of the areas in Putnam county, which one seems like it would best meet our needs?
I have a friend that just moved from the western end of South Charleston to St. Albans. Now she's complaining about the long commute.
When people tell you that the commute time between downtown Charleston and Putnam County is something to consider, they are telling you that you REALLY need to consider it. Every morning and every evening, the traffic backs up for 2-3 miles at Cross Lanes and at the big bridge between South Charleston and Dunbar. Every time it rains, somebody wrecks a car on the Dunbar/So. Chas. bridge.
Seriously, look other directions. Consider the developments near Kanawha City (Quarry Ridge, Fox Chase). Send your kids to the Montessori School if you think the public schools aren't good enough. It's on 20th Street. Consider Pinch or Elkview as nice communities to the north of Charleston. I am partial to South Charleston. It's close to downtown, has some pleasant communities and South Charleston has not imposed a city sales tax or User Fee like Charleston has. The Rock Lake area has some nice homes. The City services in South Charleston work much better than most communities. Trash pickup is twice/week and they take nearly anything away that you put out by the curb. As soon as the snow starts, every street in the city is cleared off. A lot of streets in Charleston and Dunbar never get the snow removed.
I think Pinch/ Elkview would be right doesn't your ally. The community is only a 5-10 min drive to Charleston. the schools are Ome of the better ones in the county, but If you want to go private there is Elk Valley Christain School, but I've heard it has it's problems. It is a rural area with some suburban amenities and some subdivisions. There is a low crime rate, so safety shouldn't be an issue. There is two grocery stores, a Kmart, CVS, Rite Aid, and several other businesses and restaurants, plus Charleston and much more shopping and dining is only a short drive. Also the Elk River is the focal point in the area and it is a great river for recreation and fishing.
Also wildlife might be a shock to you. I live just outside the city limits south of the city between the major shopping center and Alum Creek and we have bear fencing in our yard to keep the occasional Black Bear from getting too friendly. We also have coyote issues. We have some many deer, foxes and rabbits that we think of them like people living in a large city think of pigeons. We understand that there are bobcats in the area, one was seen in a baseball dugout in Putnam County last spring, but we have so far never seen one around our property.
I just moved here, and it sounds like you and I are very close neighbors. Black bears and bobcats, eh? Thanks for the tip. I thought I heard a coyote last week, but wasn't sure. It's not uncommon for me to see five or more deer at a time in the front yard.
Quote:
Charleston is very diverse, cultures mix easily and you will see many mixed couples and no one bats an eye. LGBT is not an eyebrow raiser here either. but you are also likely to find a lot of people looking like they can do a stand in on Duck Dynasty. And we have very professional urbanites that travel the world. Charleston is a weird place. It can be down home and provincial minded one minute and then surprise you with a display of sophistication the next.
Yep! I lived in downtown Charleston for a year in the early 90s and fell totally in love with the city. I have been looking for "home" ever since but never found anywhere I liked quite as much. So I'm finally back. Hi!
agree who wants to live in south Charleston with the chemical valley.......cant hardly breathe........the air is so nasty there.....Charleston has way better neighborhoods and schools.......Capital and GW both excell.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Where's the job located
