moving to charleston area

Hello all! looking for feedback (here or any suggestions on potentially more appropriate forums would be great) on this area: job market, state of economy, young/active area? friendliness to newcomers? activities? types of things people do? any surrounding areas to own homes that may have other horse owners and nearby trails to ride on? what kinds of things do residents of this area NOT like about it? thanks for any info! - potential relocator!

moving to charleston area

You may want to check out real estate on John%26#39;s Island, especially if you are into horses. There are lots of horse farms on Bohicket Road leading out to Kiawah - this is in John%26#39;s Island, and prices should be pretty reasonable.

here is always a job in the tourist industry in Charleston, but I am not sure what the market is for other types of emloyment these days.

Good luck Island Searcher.

moving to charleston area

The area job market is tight in the better paying positions, partially because people want to move here because of the climate, beaches, things to see and do, not because of job opportunities. As previously mentioned, there are several horse farms on Johns Island as well as Wadmalaw Island. How reasonable land prices are depends on where you currently live and what you consider reasonable. As a realtor who works in these two areas, I have seen both good and bad reactions when quoting land prices to potential buyers. It all depends on what you are use to. Activities - where to begin? It ranges from the downtown social life to hanging out on the beach. The Spring is an especially busy time with homes and garden tours, the bridge run, oyster roasts, Family Circle tennis tournament, downtown art walks, Spoleto Festival. That%26#39;s just for starters. Like many other cities, one of the biggest problems is development pressure. As more and more people are moving into the area, houses are being built in areas that were once rural causing traffic congestion and other related problems.

Given all the pros and cons, it is still a great place to live! The climate is great, especially in the winter if you presently live in the north. Spring and Fall are great. Summer can get hot and humid, but you plan your activities accordingly.

In order to get a good ';feel'; for the area, plan to spend a week here driving around, talking to a realtor, or anyone else that knows the entire Charleston area.

thanks for feedback on ';feel'; of area. Coming from NH - Real Estate is high, as are property taxes. To me high is @$240,000+ for a nothing of a house w/ little to no land. I would ideally like to find 4 acres w/ a 2 bed/2 bath/2 car garage home, that%26#39;s within 30 min to beach for around $175K. If less land or further away from beach would expect to pay $150k or if larger/nicer house, or came with fenced pasture or barn or was really close to beach then would expect price around $240k. These rates to me seem resonable. We are a couple in our late 30%26#39;s looking to begin a family, find a new home with better access to ocean, golf,social %26amp; cultural activities, more clubs/groups/organizaitons, more opportunities for year round employment w/ benefits (very hard to come by in NH mtns!) more annual sunshine (%26amp; less snow...than NH), lower cost of living, and better housing market for buyers. With these thoughts in mind - any thoughts on SC? Does Charleston seem like a good fit? thanks!

I was born and raised in Charleston, moved away when I went to college in %26#39;86 and returned 2 1/2 years ago after living all over the US...including Boston prior to returning home. Charleston has changed a lot over the years...would notice on my visits home but really notice it more now that I%26#39;m living here again.

I think it is a great place to raise a family and a great place to go to college but as a single female in her late 30%26#39;s (can%26#39;t believe I%26#39;m telling my age!!!), it is taking some getting used to the change in the social scene. But again, I do think this is a great place to start/raise a family.

I have friends living in Salem, NH and they visited this summer and were surprised at the cost of housing down here...surprised how high it is in comparision to wages. I do think you will have a challenging time finding the housing you%26#39;re describing for the price you%26#39;ve mentioned. But as Redrock suggested, talk with a realtor...they really are the best source.

As far as the employment market is concerned, as mentioned the white collar jobs are tough to come by right now. As I mentioned, I moved back from Boston where I was making in the upper $60%26#39;s with excellent benefits in the event business. Since moving back here, I%26#39;ve been offered jobs in the mid $20%26#39;s with so-so benefits. I actually started my own event consulting business and work on a contract basis which does give me flexibility to keep looking for permanent employment. I%26#39;m not sure what line of work you and your husband are in so I%26#39;m not sure how the market would be for you.

If you haven%26#39;t done so already, take a look at the classifieds for housing and jobs in our local paper -- the Post and Courier...www.charleston.net -- it should give you a better idea of the market. For housing, look in the areas that Redrock mentioned for proximity to beach and horses...though I do think that side of town may be out of your range. The Mt. Pleasant/Daniel Island areas are great but extremely expensive as is downtown (I looked at a 600 sf condo with no parking that listed for $500K plus $380 association fees...insane!!). I grew up in the Summerville area and it%26#39;s a great place for families...20-25 miles from the beaches depending on the part of town. Summerville is about the distance of Wilmington, MA to Boston...but doesn%26#39;t take near as long to make the drive :) I would stay away from the North Charleston area...while there are some parts that are okay, it can be pretty sketchy and it%26#39;s not in a great public school district.

I%26#39;m not saying any of this to discourage you at all...I think Charleston is a fabulous place but I do think it%26#39;s important to know the scoop. Having lived all over this country...many of the moves with a former employer...I think the more you know about a place the better so you can really make informed decisions.

Best wishes!

You might get a house in that price range, but you won%26#39;t get the land too. You also will not be anywhere close to the beach. To get land like that and a house you probably would need to look out in the rural areas of Dorchester or Berkley counties which is about a 45 minute drive to the beach on a good day. Even then it might still be hard finding something with that much land for that price as growth in these two areas has pushed land and home prices up. You will not be able to touch anything near the beach with that much land, you%26#39;d be looking at over a million dollars and that would be just for the land.

150k to 175k isn%26#39;t over and above a price range for a home in this area. So thinking that this is going to get you so much more here for your money than in N.H. isn%26#39;t realistic. Good luck to you though.

We are looking at real estate in coastal SC also but are not financially able to even consider the Charleston area...perhaps the highest in the state. I would suggest looking at places within 45 min to an hour away...then you can do day trips as often as you like. Take a look at Beaufort or possibly Georgetown (beautiful little town but the paper mill there really stinks!).

Or keep heading north a little more towards Myrtle Beach area...here you can find the pricerange you quoted maybe 10 to 15 minutes from the beach.

If NC is a possible consideration, look at Wilmington or New Bern.

The previous poster is also correct that you will probably be disappointed with the job market %26amp; pay scale.

Best wishes on your house hunt.

Thanks for all of your input - it is really helpful!

Good luck, Islandsearcher! I live in New Hampshire now too, so maybe we could talk more about the differences since I know both areas. There are a lot of new developments in West Ashley that are not bad. They offer pools and affordable property. You would still be close to the beaches and the attractions. I think that you would really like the change of living in Charleston. Email me karaturtlegirl@yahoo.com :)