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Old 05-10-2012, 01:55 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,529 times
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Hello, All!

My husband and I have been looking for a new place to start the next chapter of our lives. I have been on a mission to find the 'perfect' town for us to settle into, at least for the next handful of years, and would love your input. I have been lurking around city-data message boards for weeks, and think that now is the time to share my personal story in the hopes of getting your valuable feedback.

We are looking for a smaller town that is within 30-45 mins (or less) to a larger metropolitan area, which presumably would be better for employment, entertainment, shopping, cultural experiences, etc. It would be ideal for us to have a home with a little bit of land (.5 acres+?) that is less than $200k. Land is not the highest priority, however. It would be wonderful if we lived within 20 min or so from the beach so that we could fish, swim, crab, and just watch the waves roll in.

My husband is graduating in 2 weeks with his MBA, and currently is a social worker. He would like to work in finance or investing, but is open to various different types of positions within the business world. I have my Masters in Counseling and am now in the mental health field, although I would love to move to higher ed and perhaps work in the Counseling Office of a college or as a student advisor, study abroad coordinator, etc. We are in our late 20s with no kids (just cats!) but are looking to start a family in the next year or so.

I have heard conflicting things about these potential regions (Wilmington, Charleston, or Fort Myers) in regard to employment. I'm not sure if our education will act as a protective factor as we consider places to which we might apply... I understand that the salary may not be equal to areas near us (we are about 1 hour west of Philly) but some of the housing prices I have been seeing might level the playing field.

So to summarize, we want to be near the beach and near a larger/urban area (that isn't too highly populated) but not directly in a city. We are concerned about employment, but are hoping our educational backgrounds may help. I wouldn't call us "crunchy", but we are much more progressive/liberal than much of the center portions of PA. I know no city is homogenous with its ideologies, but it would be great to not feel like too much of a stranger in a strange land. My mother is from NC and I have vacationed on the Crystal Coast during much of my childhood; my family went to Sanibel Island annually until I was five. It seems like for each location, I can find people that adore it, and people that abhor it.

TL;DR: I need help deciding between these locations (or with adding others to consider). Help!

THANKS!
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Old 05-10-2012, 08:11 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,778,087 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jammers_on_the_coast View Post
I need help deciding between these locations (or with adding others to consider). Help!
You have provided a lot of information. If you can find a job in Wilmington, you can find the type of housing and lifestyle you desire. That's a big "if". Good Luck.

I don't have any detailed information about the job potential in Charleston or Fort Myers. Perhaps some US Dept. of Labor site would help. I would advise going to wherever you can locate the best jobs.

Last edited by goldenage1; 05-10-2012 at 09:22 PM..
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Old 05-11-2012, 10:49 AM
 
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Thanks, goldenage1!

We are planning a trip to Holden Beach in a few weeks, and would like to visit Wilmington to check it out. Does anyone have any suggestions on things to visit or neighborhoods to peruse while we are there?

Thank you!
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Old 05-11-2012, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,778,087 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jammers_on_the_coast View Post
We are planning a trip to Holden Beach in a few weeks, and would like to visit Wilmington to check it out.
I was trying to suggest concentrating on the job search first before you think about where to live. Your priorities seem backward. And please be realistic. North Carolina has a 9.9% unemployment rate currently.

I checked indeed.com for finance jobs or MBA jobs. There were none for entry level people. The 6 or so finance jobs were for very experienced people in specific industries.

Similarly, please look at the market for counseling jobs. I suspect Wilmington is full of well educated people who are under-employed because they want to live near the beach.

It's nice that you are going to Holden Beach, but if you want a flavor of where you would live, check out the suburbs like Hampstead, Rocky Point, Leland or Shalotte. You may have to further in the country like Currie or Burgaw, if you truly want a half-acre for under $200,000. Housing is expensive close to Wilmington compared to other inland areas.

Last edited by goldenage1; 05-11-2012 at 02:06 PM..
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Old 05-13-2012, 02:05 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,824,865 times
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I agree with GoldenAge1. Find a job first before you get your heart set on anywhere!

Charleston, SC has the lowest unemployment rate out of the 3 cities (about 7%) whereas Fort Myers has the highest (well over the national average). Wilmington NC falls in between, but as the U.S. unemployment rate as of last month has started to drop, Wilmington's has remained stagnant at 8.4%.

I live about 45 mins-1 hour away from Wilmington though so know it well. It is a nice city with a lot to offer. I've visited both Charleston, SC and Fort Myers as well so am somewhat familiar with them.

Out of the 3 cities, Charleston is the most expensive whereas Fort Myers is the cheapest by a long shot- it's also the smallest by about 40%. Wilmington is just slightly more affordable than Charleston, but about the same size.

Wilmington has a great downtown area, and some fun bars, shops and restaurants, but I don't think it has quite as much to offer as Charleston.

Anyway, there are Pros & Cons of all 3, but I still think Charleston would be my pick of the 3 even though it has the highest cost of living. It has always given me the impression of having more amenities and a better 'city' vibe, not to mention the fact that it has some incredible architecture!

Good luck on wherever you choose though!
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Old 05-13-2012, 06:31 PM
 
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Wilmington has much to offer...... you will enjoy your visit. Very cultural, historical, great beaches and great dining..... Enjoy
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Old 05-13-2012, 06:35 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,325 times
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Default Go to Wilmington......

Plenty to do, history, culture great housing opportunities and great dining. Theatre, schools, arts and major hospital facilities near by (affiliated with) great opportunity ...
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Old 05-14-2012, 03:57 PM
 
27 posts, read 64,521 times
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Jammers,

We are also moving to Wilmington in the next few years, we are building a house to move into in the next couple of years. Rates, home prices and property taxes are great compared to where we live! We live an hour west of Philly as well. We love the Wilmington area and were planning on retiring there in the future but are taking advantage of the market. Good luck in your search!
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Old 05-18-2012, 07:49 PM
 
Location: Daniel Island SC
870 posts, read 1,671,696 times
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We live in Wilmington but are moving to Charleston. Personally, we just don't care for Wilmington. We have met some of the nicest people here though and many retirees (we are not retired) that really like it here. We moved here last August from Boston and just feel that Charleston is a better fit for us. On a side note, my very good friend has her Masters Degree as a guidance counselor/Child psychologist and has worked in education for years. She is finding it very very difficult to find a job anywhere down south. She is currently trying to network in the Charleston area. I don't personally know where the opportunities would be but I would think Charlotte and Charleston would have more school systems in the centralized areas to look at. Good luck! With the right homework and landing that job FIRST you will find your perfect location.
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Old 05-31-2012, 04:44 PM
 
Location: New England
1,000 posts, read 1,794,635 times
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Klysik,

Please expand on why you think Charleston will be a better fit for you, we are considering both Wilmington and Charleston, and we are moving down from Connecticut. thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by klysik View Post
We live in Wilmington but are moving to Charleston. Personally, we just don't care for Wilmington. We have met some of the nicest people here though and many retirees (we are not retired) that really like it here. We moved here last August from Boston and just feel that Charleston is a better fit for us. On a side note, my very good friend has her Masters Degree as a guidance counselor/Child psychologist and has worked in education for years. She is finding it very very difficult to find a job anywhere down south. She is currently trying to network in the Charleston area. I don't personally know where the opportunities would be but I would think Charlotte and Charleston would have more school systems in the centralized areas to look at. Good luck! With the right homework and landing that job FIRST you will find your perfect location.
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