Help narrow down relocation for Chinese American family (Columbia, West Columbia: homes, neighborhoods)
Columbia areaColumbia - Lexington - Irmo
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We will be relocating to Columbia by June and need some help narrowing down options.
-Work will be on the North side, in the Pisgah Church Rd area.
- Would prefer a commute less than 30 min, but closer is better.
- Large family with elementary aged Chinese children, so we were thinking it would be nice to get in to one of the Mandarin immersion schools (EastPoint Academy and Meadow Glen are the ones I've identified so far). But we could amend this if there is a strong Asian presence in another area.
- Budget would be up to $500k, but would love to stay well under that.
- Would also appreciate easy commute to USC, assuming my teens will attend there within the next 5 yrs.
Originally I had two completely opposite options narrowed down- WoodCreek Farms for it's proximity to work and beautiful neighborhood setting (public schools seem OK), and the northern side of Lake Murray/Irmo/Ascot (public schools seem great) for it's nature settings and Asian market (I assume that indicates a higher Asian presence) and the ability to drive to Eastpoint Academy everyday with a 20 min commute, if we would choose to pursue that school.
But then I saw this from a recent post: I-26/I-20 is about to be torn up and expanded and that area will be a nightmare traffic wise for the next 10 years (Carolina Crossroads). Personally, I would not spend money rehabbing/renovating a $250,000 ranch anywhere around the Irmo area, unless you were buying a place on Lake Murray.
We are leaving Houston and it's traffic nightmare....I don't want to end up in another. Does this rule out the Irmo/Lake Murray area for us?
If we stick to Woodcreek Farms will there be enough of an Asian presence so my kids don't feel alone, or is there a third option that I need to consider?
We will be relocating to Columbia by June and need some help narrowing down options.
-Work will be on the North side, in the Pisgah Church Rd area.
- Would prefer a commute less than 30 min, but closer is better.
- Large family with elementary aged Chinese children, so we were thinking it would be nice to get in to one of the Mandarin immersion schools (EastPoint Academy and Meadow Glen are the ones I've identified so far). But we could amend this if there is a strong Asian presence in another area.
- Budget would be up to $500k, but would love to stay well under that.
- Would also appreciate easy commute to USC, assuming my teens will attend there within the next 5 yrs.
Originally I had two completely opposite options narrowed down- WoodCreek Farms for it's proximity to work and beautiful neighborhood setting (public schools seem OK), and the northern side of Lake Murray/Irmo/Ascot (public schools seem great) for it's nature settings and Asian market (I assume that indicates a higher Asian presence) and the ability to drive to Eastpoint Academy everyday with a 20 min commute, if we would choose to pursue that school.
But then I saw this from a recent post: I-26/I-20 is about to be torn up and expanded and that area will be a nightmare traffic wise for the next 10 years (Carolina Crossroads). Personally, I would not spend money rehabbing/renovating a $250,000 ranch anywhere around the Irmo area, unless you were buying a place on Lake Murray.
We are leaving Houston and it's traffic nightmare....I don't want to end up in another. Does this rule out the Irmo/Lake Murray area for us?
If we stick to Woodcreek Farms will there be enough of an Asian presence so my kids don't feel alone, or is there a third option that I need to consider?
Thank you so much for your help!
As long as your work is in Northeast, don’t count out living in the Irmo/Chapin part of town. $500,000 might put you near the lower end of homes in Ascot, but no Irmo as a whole. I’m not sure if Lex-Rich 5 has language immersion programs, but I do know they offer Chinese Mandarin (not sure if tradition/simplified/both) courses all the way up to course 4. There are lots of local Asian markets around there. There’s on across from Dutch Square Center and one next to Irmo High School. Traffic here, even with the construction, should be at least no worse than Houston. And yes construction will last 10 years or longer, but I’d say the schools and area make it worth it.
As long as your work is in Northeast, don’t count out living in the Irmo/Chapin part of town. $500,000 might put you near the lower end of homes in Ascot, but no Irmo as a whole. I’m not sure if Lex-Rich 5 has language immersion programs, but I do know they offer Chinese Mandarin (not sure if tradition/simplified/both) courses all the way up to course 4. There are lots of local Asian markets around there. There’s on across from Dutch Square Center and one next to Irmo High School. Traffic here, even with the construction, should be at least no worse than Houston. And yes construction will last 10 years or longer, but I’d say the schools and area make it worth it.
There are 2 areas that have a Korean population in Cola. Irmo/ Chapin ( this is due to Samsung ), and Richland Northeast. Decker Blvd has a lot of Asian market ( mainly Korean ) there, but I would not move around that area it’s pretty run down.
There are also a lot of Korean churches near Clemson Rd and Hardscrabble. For safe and nicer housing I would recommend either Woodcreek Farms or Cobble Stone in Blythewood. Wood Creek has a Columbia Police station just outside of it. Cobblestone is on a golf course and the entire community is gated and they have a security guard at the entrance. The only downside is that it is in Blythewood and you are left to the protection of the Richland Sheriffs Department. Since it’s not in the City of Columbia.
We will be relocating to Columbia by June and need some help narrowing down options.
-Work will be on the North side, in the Pisgah Church Rd area.
- Would prefer a commute less than 30 min, but closer is better.
- Large family with elementary aged Chinese children, so we were thinking it would be nice to get in to one of the Mandarin immersion schools (EastPoint Academy and Meadow Glen are the ones I've identified so far). But we could amend this if there is a strong Asian presence in another area.
- Budget would be up to $500k, but would love to stay well under that.
- Would also appreciate easy commute to USC, assuming my teens will attend there within the next 5 yrs.
Originally I had two completely opposite options narrowed down- WoodCreek Farms for it's proximity to work and beautiful neighborhood setting (public schools seem OK), and the northern side of Lake Murray/Irmo/Ascot (public schools seem great) for it's nature settings and Asian market (I assume that indicates a higher Asian presence) and the ability to drive to Eastpoint Academy everyday with a 20 min commute, if we would choose to pursue that school.
But then I saw this from a recent post: I-26/I-20 is about to be torn up and expanded and that area will be a nightmare traffic wise for the next 10 years (Carolina Crossroads). Personally, I would not spend money rehabbing/renovating a $250,000 ranch anywhere around the Irmo area, unless you were buying a place on Lake Murray.
We are leaving Houston and it's traffic nightmare....I don't want to end up in another. Does this rule out the Irmo/Lake Murray area for us?
If we stick to Woodcreek Farms will there be enough of an Asian presence so my kids don't feel alone, or is there a third option that I need to consider?
Thank you so much for your help!
If you chose Meadow Glen, there are several nice residential nearby, especially the Saluda River Club, a planned community with upscale recreational amenities that has won several local and national awards. Next to it is the highly rated River Bluff high school, on a large junior college style campus. The commute out to the Northeast from there would be mainly interstate, avoiding most of the heavier traffic heading into downtown Columbia. I’m aware of two Chinese churches in the metro area, one not that far from that Saluda neighborhood in West Columbia.
Taiwanese friends said there are no real concentration of Chinese families anywhere in this metro area, except a small number in town, neighborhoods proximate to the University. The other Chinese church is in the Rosewood neighborhood near the University.
If you chose Eastpoint, I would suggest there are several very nice intown neighborhoods close to the University that are zoned for either of two very good high schools, A.C.Flora and Dreher.
I would contact the folks at Eastpoint and Meadow Glen for their perspective. There is also a Chinese community association that is on Facebook.
Good luck. And welcome to the Midlands.
Considering they are moving from Houston I’d imagine English is their first language.... Mandarin to be their second.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnathon Hills
Shouldn't your children be learning English? Am I missing something here?
Actually a bit of neither/both. We have a combo of bio and adopted kids, so we're just trying to help some of them maintain/enhance their birth language, and others to acquire a new language.
You’re welcome. Let us know what y’all finally decide as well as if you have any other questions.
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