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Is the Ridges subdivision in Charleston or South Charleston? I thought someone told me it was being annexed. Or maybe it already happened. Any idea what will happen with the school assignments? Many of them now look like it's Alum Creek - John Adams - GW but our realtor seemed to think this would be changing.
I believe as of now it is unincorporated Kanawha County but there is talk of annexation into the city of South Charleston. Chris is correct though in that it shouldn't impact school assignments. There are several other subdivisions out along Corridor G with South Charleston mailing addresses but are still in the South Hills school district. In addition Alum Creek is not a part of either city but also goes to John Adams and GW.
The Ridges is now officially annexed into South Charleston and most residents are happy.
Trash pickup is now two days a week for one thing I heard they liked. They will be reducing HOA fees to account for the new city taxes added.
School assignments are Alum Creek, John Adams, and George Washington and not likely to change because of the joining SC. However, many elementary students attend Ruthlawn Elementary then JA and GW. The funny part here is Ruthlawn is officially listed as South Charleston for middle school but they have given them a choice for years and is not likely to change without a big fight.
They had a community fire works display that I heard was excellent on the 4th of July. They have also had evening outdoor movies occasionally.
The turnoff for me is it exactly like its name--one "ridge after another" and little flat land.
The pool is nice and there is one tennis court by the pool.
I was driving around there recently and a resident told me that they have had excellent city services since being annexed. She said they are all very happy about it and the HOA fees were cut significantly. A realtor there told me that many of the kids (her estimate was around 90%) go to Sacred Heart Grade School. I didn't know Ruthlawn was a possibility.
We were looking at 2 homes in the Ridges. One has the most flat land of any there and it's dry and fenced in. Problem is that the family isn't being re-located for a couple of months and then they are going to list it for a really high price which we don't think it's worth even with the yard. The other house has some flat land and the house is practically brand new but a little small for us. Still, it's a really good option. And the convenience for shopping is nice.
I find 90% to be a high estimate but I will ask someone I know to get their opinion.
More info from my source: Shocked at the 90% figure and estimated closer to 25%.
My question, "does this agent happen to have children at SHG or other Catholic schools?" Sounds more like a recruitment effort with those type of figures. LOL
Last edited by bballjunkie; 07-25-2017 at 01:33 PM..
1 - You are running into one of the biggest unaddressed problems that Charleston faces and that is new moderately priced housing. Unless they figure out a way to create some developments (and there has to be a will to have that way which I've not seen) then Charleston is heading towards being a run down city of a bunch of very poor people, a couple thousand very wealthy and then a downtown of lofts and condos.
2 - The 90% figure for The Ridges is way too high. There are definitely some kids that go to Catholic, there are about as many that go to Bible Center and the majority go to GW.
1 - You are running into one of the biggest unaddressed problems that Charleston faces and that is new moderately priced housing. Unless they figure out a way to create some developments (and there has to be a will to have that way which I've not seen) then Charleston is heading towards being a run down city of a bunch of very poor people, a couple thousand very wealthy and then a downtown of lofts and condos.
2 - The 90% figure for The Ridges is way too high. There are definitely some kids that go to Catholic, there are about as many that go to Bible Center and the majority go to GW.
You have just described Detroit. It has the same demographic arrangement, 90% poor and of that, 90% black and the rest are wealthy rich likes the Fords. Urban professionals downtown for the duration of the employment tenure - typically 2.5 years and they move to a nicer city afterwards.
Real estate agents are stereotypically liars and while it is not true for all, enough of that do it that stereotype is relevant. A simple phone call to the Kanawha County Board of Education would likely provide the most recent data. But, you can find simpletons there so it might be pot luck. If one school was 90%, the other schools would be in the news and headed towards closure.
As a matter of fact this realtor does have children at SHGS. We were talking about the elementary school aged kids - not sure if that makes a difference.
Agreed that Charleston doesn't have enough moderately priced newer homes. I also agree that comments from most of the realtors are suspect. We've been looking for months (as some of you know - you've been very helpful) and want to be in Charleston. We've bid on and lost a couple of homes and went under contract on one in Charleston that turned out to have several areas of wood rot under the house and other poor construction flags so we backed out. Throughout we have been perplexed by comments that have steered us away from some homes or toward others. We also don't understand the asking prices vs. actual sales comps and honestly I've started to wonder if the realtors aren't pushing relocated families like us to overpay. One house we wanted was listed at 499 but there were NO sales to support that price within the last 2 yrs. Another listed at 650 again had no market back up. Sales in these areas ranged from 385-455. The asking prices rival those of our neighborhood in suburban MD outside DC and where my in-laws live in NJ. If realtors helped drive the market by pricing appropriately the market would grow through competition. Instead people like us are ready to throw up our hands and get something much smaller or not right for us while homes priced too high are just sitting on the market for a year or more. It's been frustrating.
As a matter of fact this realtor does have children at SHGS. We were talking about the elementary school aged kids - not sure if that makes a difference.
Agreed that Charleston doesn't have enough moderately priced newer homes. I also agree that comments from most of the realtors are suspect. We've been looking for months (as some of you know - you've been very helpful) and want to be in Charleston. We've bid on and lost a couple of homes and went under contract on one in Charleston that turned out to have several areas of wood rot under the house and other poor construction flags so we backed out. Throughout we have been perplexed by comments that have steered us away from some homes or toward others. We also don't understand the asking prices vs. actual sales comps and honestly I've started to wonder if the realtors aren't pushing relocated families like us to overpay. One house we wanted was listed at 499 but there were NO sales to support that price within the last 2 yrs. Another listed at 650 again had no market back up. Sales in these areas ranged from 385-455. The asking prices rival those of our neighborhood in suburban MD outside DC and where my in-laws live in NJ. If realtors helped drive the market by pricing appropriately the market would grow through competition. Instead people like us are ready to throw up our hands and get something much smaller or not right for us while homes priced too high are just sitting on the market for a year or more. It's been frustrating.
Julie,
Let me warn that many here will take issue with my opinion on this subject. In simple terms, West Virginians as a whole are not very cultured or smart. Those buying and selling homes in the price range you are considering consider themselves and those like them to be refined and everyone else in the state are 'those poor people'. Lewisburg is populated with nothing but these types. The odd thing is, you take a well to do West Virginia couple, both earning good salaries and making a name for themselves in their industry and then move to say Houston or Atlanta or even as near as Columbus or Cleveland and they stick out like the Beverly Hillbillies. They dress different, they talk different, they have different professional ideas and most of all they think different.
It may sound like I do not love my fellow West Virginians, but I do, very much so, but I have lived outside this state most of my life and I see it and them for what they are. The state is very dear to me and the people are a mixed bag. All of them could use improvement.
There is a mindset here that property is gold and should be priced at the same rate as sea side estates in Miami. Just pure insanity. The homes are built by people that I do not regard as even a so-so builder after having been through many home-a-ramas in major cities. Older homes are often very run down and every agent I have met here makes it a point not to ask the seller if they know of issues with the house so that the agency can list the house with no issues. If the seller brings up something, they quietly forget to include it in the sales spiel.
No matter where you buy, pay for the best home inspection you can and trust me you will not get a good deal unless you are buying outside the agencies. I wish it were not this way but when it comes to real estate agents in West Virginia, think of them as Mr. Haney from Green Acres. All of the are con artists and if their sellers aren't liars when they start, they are by the time they close.
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