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My husband and i have been on the hunt for the "perfect" place for us to live.. we started off in the Tampa, Fl area and have since looked into VA, NC , and now SC. we're from Ohio so our biggest complaint is the cold (like you havent heard that before.) We're looking for beach and low crime. even though we are 27, we dont do the nightlife, club scene, so much and actually live in somewhat of a retirement community now in Ohio. it's the best place away from crime and still have plazas and shopping from big box stores. friendly ppl, too. we live near Columbus, so the crime is HUGE here. we're aware Myrtle Beach has many tourists and we're okay with that.. we dont look for trouble, so trouble usually stays away. we're looking for beach beach beach area! although we will definitely live inland.. but we just want to be within a few hrs drive of a beach. safe area.
ALSO... our biggest problem with florida were all the reports of nasty bugs..mainly palmettos or large cockroaches. in Ohio, cockroaches mean "dirty living" and only show up in those kind of areas.. hence, i have never seen one and would freak out if i did. can anyone fill us in on the bugs...mosquitos dont bother us.. just the ugly creepy crawly ones.. and if you live in a clean environment, will they still show up in your home? like i mentioned, cockroaches are in ohio, but i have never seen one bc we dont live "dirty"...clean or not, does it matter in the south?
we've found apartments we liked :alexan withers preserve, alta surf, and flintlake apt homes. any advice on these areas or communities surrounding?
Palmetto bugs (Big, flying roaches) are a way of living in the south. The warm, wet environment is a breeding ground for them.. Unfortunately, there is no getting around this. Southerners know this. Some areas are worse than others and you are correct, cleanliness does have a LOT to do with whether you will see them or not.
Mosquitoes were really bad this year due to all the rain we had late in the year. Fortunately, the cooler/cold weather did them in..
i'm getting use to these palmetto bugs i'm hearing about.. i was extremely grossed out when i first saw a picture of them..cant wait to watch my husband's reaction haha. After i read numerous reports that they dont sting or bite, i think i'd be okay with them, knowing i can just brush them off if they land on me, although i would be very squeemish. it's probably worse to find bugs in your house/apt rather than outside where they live. i'm more concerned with what gets inside your home. any scorpions?
any advice on the n.myrtle beach area? we found some apts we like.. but now we're thinking maybe we should go inland (maybe less bug problems.) and it doesnt have to be the northern part of the state.. we are looking all along the coast line and a bit inland.. wealthier.."upscale" as i call it, areas.
There are pros and cons about every area and bugs are big con here for someone that doesn't like bugs or are afraid of them. I know this because I'm one of them. I have someone come and spray the inside and outside of my house every three months and it helps but the bugs still get in. I do live in a more wooded area though so if you are in a developed area I would imagine it won't be as bad. The Palmetto bugs are gross but the worst thing here are the fire ants, especially if you find out you're allergic. I used to lay in the grass, walk in the grass barefeet but since I moved here I don't do either. I've been bit by fireants even walking on the street with my dogs. If you move anywhere south you will have to deal with a lot more bugs, it's just the way it is.
They are all over the south. Every state south of your state of Ohio will have them. Palmetto bugs are big and AKA "flying cockroaches" as AP. They do make it into the house. They hang around the furnace and hot water tank sometimes they come through the patio door in the summer. If you live near creeks and ponds you will see them more than others but even if you are in the city you will see them unless you live in a high rise.
You will probably freak when you see them but just keep a can of Raid original ant & roach killer in the kitchen or wherever you see them the most. Zap them immediately and around the doors too. Be careful of where you spray if you have pets and plants.
Rapture, i remember fire ants all too well. when i was 8, my family was staying with some family members in Fl (we were vacationing in Disney area) and i walked outside barefoot and within seconds both my feet were covered with them and i was screaming. i remember my relatives scooping me up and brushing them off as fast as they could and then they put some kind of alcohol stick stuff on my feet. it was awful
i was just in FL (clearwater area) last oct to get married and we fell in love with it.. came back to OH and i dont know whether it's just the cold and depression that got to us or what, but we were so anxious to get out of here. not really much anymore after all the bug issues.. kind of makes us grateful for the area we live in now.. just wish we could find a happy medium somewhere. if the only thing that is keeping us from moving to beaches, warm weather, palm trees, nicer ppl, safe area, are bugs..well, i'd say we should still go for it and just deal with these darn things when we get there.. but my husband is now really rethinking this move.
lookup, i told my husband that we can just keep spraying and make sure we get every nook n cranny, but hes not budging. haha maybe i should show him more pictures of the tropical places we've found and he'll remember how nice it was there. so does it not matter then if we live more inland and away from the ocean? i cant believe so many states have to deal with these darn bugs! we lived in KY for a year and never had any problems with them.
do any of you know if the bugs seem to be worse in FL rather than SC? or is it pretty even? does anyone know of the areas i'm talking about and can give a little info on if they're good or bad? (not bug related, just in general)
thanks for being so helpful, everyone
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