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We are thinking about retiring soon, depending on the housing market and the stock market, and are looking for suggestions. We live in the Atlanta area now but are tired of how bad the crime has become. We would like to move someplace that has a friendlier atmosphere and fewer home invasions on a weekly basis. I get depressed watching the news every day (and PLEASE don't suggest that I just stop watching the news!) But, we want to stay withing a 3 or 4 hour drive just for visiting family.
I like an area that has well-kept homes, a nice downtown area, an interesting mix of people with a variety of interests, and good access to shopping ( supermarkets, Lowes, Target, and restaurants)
I visited Greenville, SC and put it on the top of the list. Does anyone have any other suggestions of places to look before we make up our minds? Any input is appreciated.
What about the north Georgia mountains? There's very little crime in towns like Dahlonega. Greenville is also extremely nice, especially if you want a larger city. If you like smaller towns, Lake Keowee or Clemson are two towns west of Greenville that I think are charming.
But, for my 2 cents, Dahlonega is the place to be. Gainesville is a nearby drive for those times you need the big box stores.
What about the north Georgia mountains? There's very little crime in towns like Dahlonega. Greenville is also extremely nice, especially if you want a larger city. If you like smaller towns, Lake Keowee or Clemson are two towns west of Greenville that I think are charming.
But, for my 2 cents, Dahlonega is the place to be. Gainesville is a nearby drive for those times you need the big box stores.
Even Dahlonega is becoming a "spot to be" for retirees and those escaping Atlanta on the weekends.
Dahlonega now has a Home Depot, Wal-Mart and is only minutes from NE GA Premium Outlet Stores on Rte. 400. It will be an extended part of Atlanta within 10 years. It seems that the major developement is spreading north to the mountains.
We have watched this happen to the Oakwood, Flowery Branch, Cumming and Gainesville area over just the past 7 years. Traffic in this area of N GA is getting horrific! If you are looking for a peaceful haven, you will have to stretch as far as Toccoa or beyond in NE GA.
The Greeneville, SC area is very nice with all of the things that you are looking for, NorthmeetsSouth, but I think that you will find the crime rate is higher there than some of the outlying areas around Atlanta.
Have you considered the Athens, GA area? It has a wonderful downtown, university culture and activities, relatively low crime rate, within an hour of Hartsfield/Jackson Airport, and a lovely rural feel.
Have you considered the Kingsport / Johnson City areas in northeast Tennessee? You should also check out the Cookeville / Crossville areas in Tennessee. I'm sending you a private message.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Cousin in Rocky Point, GA likes it (he has a job... ), Has rural life with Chattanooga within shouting distance, and can still get to Atlanta for family functions.
As a retiree I would examine the tax structure BEFORE deciding which side of the line I would live on. TN seems to have plenty of benefits to weigh that direction.
I have greatly benefited from being a 'state-line dweller' in WA and in WY (both income - tax free... OR and MT both sales tax free), but... with no income and 50 more years in retirement, I'm looking for low property taxes and probably low sales, tho I don't plan to 'consume' much. I would also look at the state health plans as some states are far more friendly to seniors who have no insurance. I want to keep within an hour of an international airport, as I will go to Asia for health care needs (and volunteering). I also have a high priority to be near a college (20-30 min) for learning and physical activities (not sports...) just lap swimming and educational classes.
My spreadsheet said... "don't move to the boonies to save taxes, as commute and subsistence cost of living will eat up savings. Also selling a place in the boonies will not net you the equivalent $$ of retaining a home with high taxes, but with high enough equity growth to cover the taxes..." (We live within a 'national scenic area', so no more houses allowed.... but I really scream about paying $12,000 / yr for property taxes on a place I built for less than $100k) I could do without the 100+ inches of rain/yr tho
Or take a look at Lake Keowee, just about 30 minutes from Greenville. Nice lakeside living with the "city" only a short drive away.
Oh... would I LOVE to live on a lake!!! I have been to Greenville but not to Keowee. I think I will plan a weekend ride in that direction just to look around and taunt myself.
My biggest problem is that I am super-conservative when it comes to money these days and I would love to find a nice house on a lake but if it is for retirement (assuming the end of my current income) then I would like to stay under $300K, and how many lake houses are there in that price range?! Well, I can dream, can't I?
I found the lack of interest in this 2008 thread surprising, considering the mid south and N. Ga./ SW NC,/ East Tn.have become very popular over the years, dating back even to the 50s-60s - 70s when so many people flooded into Atlanta and made the city the " Chicago of the South ". I heard so many times in the 70s when ( living in Chicago area ) people would say " If I were to live in the South it would have to be Atlanta". Not totally why that was, could have been that so many Northerners were transferred there with their jobs that the City "feel" became more Northern than Southern as so many of the burbs expanded, so quickly , much like Chicago.
Ether way the people being northerners or southerners, soon started looking for summer homes in the N. Ga. Mtns., mostly to escape the heat of Summer. The visitors/homeowners started spilling over the state line into SW NC. and NW SC.. Many also saw the possibility of making the MTNS. their retirement home.. It was nice living in NC. as in just two hours you could be downtown Atlanta, yet by night fall back home in your cozy retreat up in the Mountains. I wonder today what the orig. OP wound up doing ?
Today, with the real estate market recovery things are heating up once more.The demand has spread out to E. TN. and even to SW Va.. Granted some of these places were more than 2 hours from Atlanta, but it DOES show the trend has continued. From the " Half Backs" that came from Florida . , to the Southern born , to the transplanted Northerners , the escape to the mid-south remains today a very popular thing to do, retirement and relocation be it full time or week-ends.......What do you think , has the mid south and its fringes become even more popular, desirable, as it once was ?..., what and where will be interesting to hear about !
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Retirement in SC,NC,GA,TN, revisited.
