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Can anyone comment on the advantages or disadvantages between these areas. Are they safe communities? Any information would be greatly appreciated.We will be coming down in the last two weeks in April to begin our home search.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 03-07-2016 at 05:27 PM..
It depends on what you're looking for in a community. Carolina Forest is probably viewed by most people as a little more up scale although prices run the gamut to just about any price range. It has a new library and recreation center and proabably has a younger demographic and more kids in most communities. The main problem that we saw with CF when we looked there is the traffic...only 2 main ways in/out and the primary way in/out for most folks is onto Rt 501 which is a disaster during tourist season. The light to get onto 501 is a 4 minute light and if you don't make it through, you're sitting over 8 minutes to get onto 501. And on the weekends, even when you get onto 501, you can sit for awhile. Additionally, if you have to turn from your development onto the main road through CF, it's very difficult to cross the traffic during the busy times of the day. Generally, I would say CF is pretty safe although it has it's share of problems as does every community.
We live off of Forestbrook on the Socastee end and we love it here. Socastee has many sections which vary greatly in price and demographics. It's hard to compare overall to CF as there are communities which compare very favorably and other communities that aren't comparable. So, it depends on where in Socastee you're looking. We like the area because you can easily be just about anywhere on the south end or even MB without getting too involved in tourist traffic. There are lots of choices for groceries and shopping. There's a pretty new library available. It's easier to get to the beach and MB State Park than it would be from CF. Demographics-wise, I would say you'd probably find an older demographic than CF (generally speaking).
Socastee: Older area, some poor areas. More laid back. More local feel. Businesses are spread out. Hwy 544 allows quick access to Conway to the west or Surfside Beach to the east and Hwy 707 to Murrell's Inlet.
Carolina Forest: Much more crowded, busy. Lots of dining options. Many new developments and businesses. Considered safer than Socastee. Far more transplants. Hwy 501 allows not-so-quick (sometimes) access to Conway and easy access to the main beach area.
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