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We just traveled through much of SC searching for a landing spot in retirement. We visited Augusta-Aiken, Bluffton, Johns Island, Beaufort and were to see Chapin, but the inventory was really low and we skipped it. We had also intended to look around Clemson, but we cut the trip short. We were shocked at how attractive Aiken is! My expectation was for a 6 and we came away with an 11 and looking elsewhere made little sense. BTW, we visited a friend in Newberry and the downtown there has improved and the new Samsung plant looked to be running multiple shifts and has holding a job fair.
I would appreciate any insights both positive or negative. From our perspective Aiken is a great landing spot. We particularly liked the area south of downtown and the Wood Side planned community with golf courses. We looked at Augusta and it looked to have some potential, but we passed. We had 2 days scheduled with a Realtor for North Augusta but after driving the area, we passed.
We are happy where we live but things have been changing in our state in very odd ways and I don't see it getting better. We do not have to work and don't have to move, so we were under no pressure to pick a landing spot. Frankly, I am relieved to have found Aiken! Am I missing anything?
Last edited by Bodysurfer; 03-21-2021 at 02:05 PM..
Not really. Aiken is really nice if that landscape suits your tastes. The proximity to Augusta and what it offers is also a plus.
The only reason it wouldn't work for me is transit to mountains or beach isn't the most convenient. If those two things aren't necessities for you, good deal.
I moved to Aiken last year from Texas. I personally am not a fan and will probably live this place next year. It is scenic and boring, but lots of birds, golf, and horses if that's your thing. I do have to admit the weather is a little less toasty than Texas. But I think NC or TN are more my speed. Good luck with whatever choice you make.
I moved to Aiken last year from Texas. I personally am not a fan and will probably live this place next year. It is scenic and boring, but lots of birds, golf, and horses if that's your thing. I do have to admit the weather is a little less toasty than Texas. But I think NC or TN are more my speed. Good luck with whatever choice you make.
Thanks. We have decided on Aiken and are waiting for prices to decline a bit. Looking back over the sales histories of properties, the current price levels are much higher than 2019 and 2020. We have looked at other areas and $ for $ I think Aiken is our landing spot. I renewed some contracts here for biz and the main one ends in August. Home prices in Aiken appear to holding upper better than other areas in the country that we considered. Thanks again for the responses
Not really. Aiken is really nice if that landscape suits your tastes. The proximity to Augusta and what it offers is also a plus.
The only reason it wouldn't work for me is transit to mountains or beach isn't the most convenient. If those two things aren't necessities for you, good deal.
2 hours to the beach, 2 hours to the mountains, pretty much centrally located to each. lotta $$ in Aiken.
2 hours to the beach, 2 hours to the mountains, pretty much centrally located to each. lotta $$ in Aiken.
We are planning a 3rd trip and will also visit Savannah Lakes Villages, Chapin/Irmo and Blythewood. One of Aiken's draws is the proximity and easy access to Augusta of less than 30 mins and only appx 1 hour to Columbia. We like Costco (dog eats the roasted chicken), Trader Joe's and to a lesser extent WFM. Augusta has good medical. In California, you can spend almost 30 minutes on the on-ramp to a freeway . We felt a really good vibe in Aiken and its is kind of under-the-radar affluent in many respects and the people who are relocating there appear to be from very high-cost areas in the NE, Chicago and California, so they are likely not financially stressed. I think Aiken will continue to upscale. Woodside Plantation is a possible destination as is Cedar Creek, but we found the Trolley Station area less attractive. Preferably, we would live DT as I like to walk everywhere, but $ for $, some the smaller, older homes DT were pretty pricey. On our first trip to Aiken, we looked at a downtown TH at 11am, went to lunch and halfway through lunch we got a call that there were two offers on the property. We are not looking for THs, but it was a nice 1st floor unit in a small project. I think the lower-prices areas north of DT will almost certainly gentrify over time, but we don't want to live through the transition phase.
GF lived on acreage in rural SC for 7 years outside of Newberry.
She probably knows Aiken a little. DT is old $$, horses. KentuckyDerby horses. Woodside and CedarCreek - good choice for retirement age and Yanks relocating south. Northside not so good. Walking would be neighborhood and golf in these situations, DT may be questionable unless you're very comfortably wealthy. just my opinion but I'm local for life. Aiken golf club area old and established too.
Most of the living down here is driving point to point.
She probably knows Aiken a little. DT is old $$, horses. KentuckyDerby horses. Woodside and CedarCreek - good choice for retirement age and Yanks relocating south. Northside not so good. Walking would be neighborhood and golf in these situations, DT may be questionable unless you're very comfortably wealthy. just my opinion but I'm local for life. Aiken golf club area old and established too.
Most of the living down here is driving point to point.
Thank you Burr. Yes pockets within the DT sphere definitely have an old money vibe. I didn't understand your comment about walking, would you please clarify? We really do not need huge square footage and many of the homes in Woodside and Cedar Creek while not huge are larger than we need and I want want to have a large veggie garden, so the offset seems to be smaller DT home at much higher $/SF price level, or Cedar Creek or Woodside larger homes but would have to utilize a community garden area. On our next trip, we are going to look at the area a little farther north of DT. No doubt we are strongly influenced by So. California prices to an extent, but I looked at many, many areas across the country and Cedar Creek and Woodside nominal and $/SF price levels are very attractive. Not crazy about having HOA to deal with either. Thanks for responding
HOAs are a double edge sword. They are almost required if the community has shared property that must be managed. But it does stink when you have to get approval to put up a fence. But, they're nice when you don't have to live next door to the outdoor trash guy. I've lived in neighborhoods where there wasn't an HOA and there was always one or two homes that was just an outdoor junk bin and I was so glad that wasn't my neighbor.
HOAs are a double edge sword. They are almost required if the community has shared property that must be managed. But it does stink when you have to get approval to put up a fence. But, they're nice when you don't have to live next door to the outdoor trash guy. I've lived in neighborhoods where there wasn't an HOA and there was always one or two homes that was just an outdoor junk bin and I was so glad that wasn't my neighbor.
Yes and in one 55+ community in AIken, the HOA fee ranges to over $350/Mo if memory serves me. When interest rates were at their lows, the HOA fee was even more onerous. At 3.25% IR on a 30-year 100,000 loan, the monthly payment was +/-$435/Mo and an $80,000 loan had a payment of appx $350. The payments also include the principal reduction.
Right now in Aiken, it appears to me from a distance that inventory is relatively low and asking prices are sticky. We might rent for a while, but the in-migration is strong from NE USA, Chicago, California... in many cases involve cash buyers attracted by the relative pricing in Aiken compared to their current area.
I would have stayed here until my dying day in California and I have a really, really good up here, but in San Diego County they are now proposing a $.05/Mile tax on top of the sky-high gasoline taxes which is just the latest attack on my financial well being. Looks like I am going to pay one way or another. We will check out Savannah Lakes Village, Blythewood and Chapin first just to be sure. The SC minimum wage is 1/2 the California minimum wage and local residents are gonna get squeezed.
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. We felt a really good vibe in Aiken and its is kind of under-the-radar affluent in many respects and the people who are relocating there appear to be from very high-cost areas in the NE, Chicago and California, so they are likely not financially stressed. I think Aiken will continue to upscale. Woodside Plantation is a possible destination as is Cedar Creek, but we found the Trolley Station area less attractive. Preferably, we would live DT as I like to walk everywhere, but $ for $, some the smaller, older homes DT were pretty pricey. On our first trip to Aiken, we looked at a downtown TH at 11am, went to lunch and halfway through lunch we got a call that there were two offers on the property. We are not looking for THs, but it was a nice 1st floor unit in a small project. I think the lower-prices areas north of DT will almost certainly gentrify over time, but we don't want to live through the transition phase. 
