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Hi, I have a few questions and concerns about moving to the Charleston area (within 30-40 minute driving radius). Just to introduce myself, I'm 35 years old, born and raised in New Jersey and I've always despised living here for many reasons. I don't make a lot of money but I work for a very large company and the reason I got a job at a huge company was so I could relocate out of NJ. I've been doing research on the best cities and states to live and I chose several locations based on my preferences, the very absolute top reason is cost of living and being within 30-40 minutes from a major city with a good art scene. I don't make any money from my paintings but I am a moderately successful artist who has had 35 exhibitions, so I want to be somewhat near a city to have access to cultural institutions such as art galleries and art organizations to display my work(I like that Charleston is also not too far from Columbus and Savannah).
So that being said. I've considered all parts of the country and broke it down to 3 choices with South Carolina on the top of my list by a wide margin. The other two being southern Virginia and central Tennessee.
One of the reasons I'm getting out of NJ is I don't like the social culture here. I'm pretty laid back and prefer being in the countryside for peace and quiet while I still need access to cities for art exhibition opportunities. That being said, I am a lot friendlier and better mannered than most people from the Northeast (New Yorkers get on my nerves), I understand that some SC locals are a little frustrated that people from other parts of the country at moving there (and I don't blame them), probably why I like Charleston over Charlotte, NC is because it seems to maintain a Southern cultural identity. So my questions are:
1. How should I expect to be treated in SC, if I show I want to assimilate to the culture?
2. I'm not a religious person, is it required to join a church to assimilate to the culture?
3. In terms of the arts, how would you describe Charleston and South Carolina as a whole in this regard?
4. I want to rent my first year in South Carolina and then buy a house for no more than 180K but still be within 30-40 minutes at the most from Charleston. I also need a place with zero to little crime. Where should I live?
5. I hate cold weather and I dislike hot weather, but I prefer warm to cool. The way I see it, I can tolerate heat that's too hot to be outdoors for a few months, I'll just treat it like it's a NJ winter and do indoor activities during those months. How many months of the year is it too hot to be outside? Like not a good idea to walk around for more than 10 minutes.
6. I love older architecture with a passion, especially from the 19th and 18th centuries. Where are the best places to see lots of old buildings and plantations?
7. Love Southern food, it's one of my absolute favorites. What dishes should I try in SC
8. I'm 35, single and don't want children, but I don't mind if a girl has children. I'm of Russian and Hungarian decent. How is the dating scene here? I prefer to date around my age or a little older.
9. Considering I would like to move in a year, what should I do to prepare to move SC?
Frankly, moving isn't an option for me. I literally don't make enough money to live on my own in the state of New Jersey that isn't crime-infested and absolutely can't afford a house here, even in bad areas. I plan on visiting South Carolina before moving of course (just waiting to finish off my car payments before moving), but based on what I've read and watched it seems like a great place to live.
You might want to move this to the Charleston area forum, to get answers more specific to there. I'll try to answer the ones I can.
1) Well
2) No
3) Charleston: popular. Rest of state: ?
4) Do you want a house, townhouse, condo? Prices are rising here, but you would be able to find an attached home in your price range that is closer in. For detached, look around the outlying areas such as Johns Island, Hollywood, maybe Goose Creek, and there are some in the Summerville area. Where would your job be located? Traffic is bad so you want to be as close as possible, or even have a reverse commute.
5) None. It does get hot and humid, but people go about their ordinary outdoor lives. Unless you're unusually intolerant of heat, it shouldn't be a problem.
6) All over the area! Downtown Charleston, of course. There are several plantations that you can Google. Downtown Summerville has a pretty historic downtown as well.
7) Shrimp and grits, barbeque, boiled peanuts to start.
8) No idea about that.
9) Visit as often as you can so you can get a feel for the different areas. Research online. City Data (Charleston forum) is a good place to start, but also the local newspapers, real estate sites like realtor.com, local facebook pages.
I'm pretty sure I can't afford to move to Charleston. If I did relocate the job site would be in Mt. Pleasant, not in Charleston proper. I don't mind a 30-40 minute commute. Ideally I would like to be within 25 minutes or less. Ideally I would want to live in a detached house with high ceilings, and it wouldn't bother me if the house was old and / or needed a little bit of work, I currently live in a house that is 100 years old (which has no problems), before that I lived in an apartment that was 120 years old but the neighborhood was bad.
I think you'll find that a lot of the detached houses under $180k in this area will need some amount of work. I wouldn't expect to find the high ceilings. I think you're more likely to find those in the more historic homes which are pricey. What you will find will probably be more like '60's or '70's ranches, or vinyl subdivision houses. Here are some examples: https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M59945-40364 https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5_M67785-58901
For distance purposes, take a look at Hanahan, Goose Creek, maybe even McClellanville (although that would put you farther from Charleston.)
Those properties look like a paradise for what you would pay, houses like those would cost 75% or more in New Jersey, my brother pays 8k in property taxes for a townhouse...
I guess it's all relative, then! It seems high to me compared to North Carolina.
Your property taxes here will not be anywhere near that, at the price you are looking for. You might already know this, but an owner occupied home qualifies for a property tax reduction. You have to apply for it after you buy.
Will your salary stay the same if you relocate?
If you are interested in the greater Charleston area, you will get more responses if you move this thread to that forum. It's not just for the city of Charleston.
I actually have no idea if my company policy is to pay the same throughout the country or not, I also don't want to ask them because I don't want them to know that I'm planning to relocate, even if it is a year.
Don't know how to move the thread. I guess I'll start a new thread and maybe a moderator can delete this one.
1. How should I expect to be treated in SC, if I show I want to assimilate to the culture?
2. I'm not a religious person, is it required to join a church to assimilate to the culture?
3. In terms of the arts, how would you describe Charleston and South Carolina as a whole in this regard?
4. I want to rent my first year in South Carolina and then buy a house for no more than 180K but still be within 30-40 minutes at the most from Charleston. I also need a place with zero to little crime. Where should I live?
5. I hate cold weather and I dislike hot weather, but I prefer warm to cool. The way I see it, I can tolerate heat that's too hot to be outdoors for a few months, I'll just treat it like it's a NJ winter and do indoor activities during those months. How many months of the year is it too hot to be outside? Like not a good idea to walk around for more than 10 minutes.
6. I love older architecture with a passion, especially from the 19th and 18th centuries. Where are the best places to see lots of old buildings and plantations?
7. Love Southern food, it's one of my absolute favorites. What dishes should I try in SC
8. I'm 35, single and don't want children, but I don't mind if a girl has children. I'm of Russian and Hungarian decent. How is the dating scene here? I prefer to date around my age or a little older.
9. Considering I would like to move in a year, what should I do to prepare to move SC?
1. There are a lot of transplants so we've mostly gotten used to it by now. There are some exceptions, though.
2. SC is a pretty religious state. I'm not terribly religious and do fine but it is a big part of most people's lives down here. Expect to be asked what church you attend and to be invited to attend church with people you meet. Be ready with answers to give in these situations so you aren't taken off guard.
3. Not really part of the art scene so not sure.
4. 180K is going to be a tough budget anywhere outside of the very rural parts of the state. Not impossible but expect to buy something that needs work or is in a less desirable area (which will likely go against your desire for no crime).
5. Charleston is going to be hot and humid for pretty much the entire summer. You need to come visit for a week in August to see if you can tolerate the heat and humidity.
6. Charleston is one of the oldest cities in North America and has lots of older buildings.
7. You should try them all and decide what you like. There is a lot of variety in southern food from shrimp and grits to fried okra to all the kinds of barbecue. Some French influence, some African influence, some Scottish and Irish influence, all blended together.
8. No idea
9. You need to visit in the peak heat of the summer to see if you can handle the climate. I'd suggest doing the same for the other options on your list.
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