Local Utilities (Forestbrook, North, Santee: co-op, new house, buy)

[Cynner]

Trust me, as my area is hit with frost and 24-degree weather, I'm thinking of beach, ocean and sand.

A question on the local utilities. Up here in the North, we have a selection of gas and electric companies. Most offer competitive prices and discounts if you sign up with them for a period of one year.

Based on a 2K-square-foot home, what would the 'average' electric run on a monthly basis? I was advised to average $100 per 1K square foot, counting the fact that you run air conditioning far more than your furnace. I'm a fresh air person, even when it's "hot", and wondering how I will adjust to your humidity.

I'm also a "gas oven" cooking person, and I'm not seeing many gas ovens. I realize that gas lines with the high water level is an absolute no-no. What about propane? Then again, I might just have to invest in a really good outdoor gas grille.

[Global Friend]

Little cold here too for the beach unless you are wearing a jacket but not bad two weeks ago.
Mostly everything is electric here, heat/air/cooking but some communities are set up and offer gas or propane but not many. My house size is 2k, no kids but I'm home all the time and electric runs between $65 up to around $180 throughout the year. Most of the time it's around $100. I don't know exactly where you are coming from but I moved from the Jersey Shore and to me the humidity is the same here, it just lasts longer into the year. I used to go to the beach in NJ 2 to 3 times a week and also sometimes work outside at my job so I've spent a lot of time outside in the summer in NJ and like I said it seems the same here. I've met others that move here and think the humidity is really bad so I guess it's a matter of opinion. As far as gas oven, I think I've seen one the whole time I've been here and I've been in a lot of houses so it's not common.

[CTyankee54]

Rapture is "spot on" when it comes to electric bills. One thing that you will find different, however, is that you have no choice on who provides your electric. In MB it's either Horry Electric or Santee Cooper depending on where you live. Horry is priced higher per KWH because they are a co-op and buy their electric from Santee Cooper and other sources.

Re gas...there are a few developments that offer natural gas but the key word is a "few." You can get a gas range/oven in those developments but you have to search them out and the locations might not be to your choosing.

We just moved into a new house in a new development off Forestbrook and you are allowed to put in a propane tank but it must be buried and I, personally, don't feel comfortable with propane the way I do with gas. So, we opted to just stick with electric...not my wife's favorite but she manages just fine.

[blueherons]

You'll find your electric bills are higher in the summer because of your AC. I'm pretty sure all heat here is electric.