Anyone from or lived in NC or SC?

[msdis]

I'm researching NC & SC and would like to hear about life there. What towns/cities are best for whatever reason and have lower crime? We are looking at semi-retirement and the slower life and maybe a nice community. We are from a low income part of the country and are looking for reasonable housing costs. Our average home is about $150,000, maybe a little more with recent trends so we are looking for similar costs for a nice home on perhaps 1/2-1 acre.

Also, I hate to ask this question but we have been told people from the north are not welcome in the Carolina's. That they hate northerners. It's ok to say if that is the feeling. I'd rather know now than later. If so, is it more so in certain areas as opposed to other areas?

Here's another crazy fear. Both DH and I are terrified of snakes. We have outdoor pets and are concerned. We have been led to believe they are everywhere. We have no poisonous snakes or bugs here so our concerns there would be much greater. Is it a big problem in residential areas or more so elsewhere?

Anything else anyone can add about anything helpful would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much.

 

[luvdisney81]

I'm from Beaufort, SC a large retirement area. Hilton Head Island is just a hop skip away. It is a small town with lots of history and coastal. A bunch of very large islands make the county up. Low crime and great community. The houses range all over and you can find one for 150'000 in a private golf community or nice public neighborhood. Beaufort was not burned in Sherman's march so all the old buildings remain standing and they treasure their charm there. It is gorgeous! Not to small, not to big. Movies are filmed their on occasion but we never bother the actors. Many have bought homes their on some of the nice private islands as a result. Their are alot of northerners their, some permanent, some just snowbirds. We accept them with open arms. It is an hour north of Savannah and 90minutes south of Charleston so day trips are common. Everyone their goes by a slower pace, we prefer to plan the day by the tide. Their is a historic downtown with shops and a Waterfront. A water festival each year which is huge and 10 days of non stop fun. People come from all over the US to celebrate. The winters are good, never snows. The summers are humid but managable. Each year we get one hurrican scare but haven't had anything in 14 years, Hugo and that just blew the power out for a day.

Let me know if you want any more information.

 

[Disney Princess 6]

...................

 

[luvdisney81]

I live in the Charlotte area now, Rock Hill, SC just on the other side of the border. It's nice, closer to the mountains so that is great. Charlotte has a little more crime too but its a city so more things to do and closer to highways. Ashville is nearby and I hear it is wonderful.

 

[Disney Princess 6]

It's a lovely area about 30 minutes north of Charlotte. Many of the homes have lake access. I'm sure the crime there is very low - worth looking into.

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

Originally posted by luvdisney81
Ashville is nearby and I hear it is wonderful.

Yes I've been to Asheville many times (there's actually an "e" in the name) and it is a nice little city. Not too big, but they've got everything you need, including an airport. My large extended family lives about an hour from there (in a town called Franklin) so I've flown into Asheville many times, although usually I fly into Atlanta (cheaper).

 

[Sleepy]

I moved from Washington to SC when I was 11 years old. Nobody made us feel unwelcome or like we were hated. Maybe they fear being made fun of because of their accents (which I did eventually pick up). I don't know. I lived there 7 years and hated leaving when I graduated high school. I say move wherever you want. I would move back if I could. BTW, I lived in Florence. City not too big, yet not too small. Lots of undeveloped country surrounding and if you like churches and liquor stores, Florence is your kind of place

 

[Harley Chick]

Florence is your kind of place

I just got back from Florence a few days ago, checking out a new place to live. You're right about the churches, about every 3rd building was one. We met some wonderful, friendly people there and saw a lot of houses in our price range. I think it would be wonderful for a retirement place, but it won't fit my needs right now (gotta work ). I visited Charleston also, and loved it. I'm going to make another visit there soon.

 

[Ragmop]

My sister lives in Wilmington(on the coast plus river plus university) and the influx of Northerners HAS driven up home prices-but then they moved there from elsewhere, so they have no right to complain!

There is a movie production studio there and some tv shows are filmed there and has a thriving arts and theater community. Sis ran into Linda Lavin(from that old 70's TV show "Alice") at an art show last month. Ilove visiting there and would move ther in a heartbeat.

 

[Sleepy]

Originally posted by Harley Chick
it won't fit my needs right now (gotta work ).

That is how we ended up in Virginia.......Dad lost his job. I forgot about that

 

[niks81]

Aiken, SC....love it there

Charleston is a very close second!!

PM me if you want more info

 

[SandrainNC]

I'm from Rock Hill, SC and moved to Charlotte, NC in 1994. Charlotte is great, but like any larger city, the crime is worse here than smaller towns. I can honestly say that I do not hate northerners. Some of my best friends are from New York. I think this is a great area to live, but it is also the only place I have ever lived!! I think $150,000 is about average around here as well. You can look on www.carolinahome.com to get an idea of houses for sale in the area.

Good luck making your decision!

Sandra

 

[cynsaun]

We live in Raleigh, NC, right outside Cary, NC. Cary was named the best place to live by Money Magazine (now, of course, there are banners on the lightposts to prove that!) Cary is called Containment Area for Relocated Yankees.

I personally have found that the locals aren't nice to anyone! I don't want to stereotype here as I do know a few natives that are wonderful, but I have found that the northerners have been nicer.

Be careful if you have children by the way! The schools here are HORRIBLE!!!

As a footnote, we are looking at moving north next year!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I am a former Yankee (Detroit area) now living in Greenville, SC. Transferred here for DH's job 19 years ago, and have no desire to go north again...

Greenville is a great place, it is in the piedmont of the Smokey Mountains. 3-1/2 hours from the coast (Charleston), 2 hours from the "big city" of Atlanta, and far enough away from all that to still have a small town feel. It has a rich cultural climate, with a wonderful performing arts center that draws symphonies, concerts, broadway plays. We have a new arena that hosts minor league hockey teams, basketball, arena football, and BIG name concerts. (We saw Cher's farewell tour, Tina Turner, Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, as well as "The Monster Truck Jam" that our boys love so much.) The downtown is beautiful, with shops and restaurants with sidewalk dining.

Rush hour is just that long-an hour at the most. And we are talking relative to normal traffic. You may have to wait at a left hand turn light 6 minutes during rush hour...

It is also the buckle of the bible belt, but even being liberal minded people, we just shake our heads at some of that kind of thing. If you are a conservative, you will love that climate here....

Sorry, there are snakes everywhere, but depending on the kind of subdivision you live in there can be few. We live in a heavily wooded "neighborhood", and we see snakes occasionally. DH relocates them, even the copperheads....

My DM is deathly afraid of snakes, too. She lives in a more "civilized" neighborhood, and I don't think she has ever told me of a snake encounter. She has been here 4 years.

We just love it here. Southern hospitality is all that it is talked up to be. People will talk your ear off if you let them. And I have found VERY LITTLE "Yankee" hostility here.

A Yankee is one who comes south for a visit, a da*n Yankee is one that stays...I guess that makes me a da*n Yankee, but I wouldn't go north for the world....

Good luck in your quest, hope to see y'all down here real soon!

 

[merryg]

I lived in Aiken, SC most of my growing up years. Graduated from Aiken High School. I loved it there and if I didn't love the Smoky Mountains as much as I do, I would still be there.

There are plenty of things to do in the area, plus Augusta GA right across the river. It is in "horse country". Every spring there are many equestrian activities. As far as home costs, I am sure you could find what you are looking for in your price range. My mom is a realtor in Aiken. I could get you in touch with her if you are interested in the area.

I am sure you would love Aiken!!!

 

[SC Minnie]

I live in Fort Mill, SC- in between Rock Hill and Charlotte. I absolutely love it here. Depending on where you look and what size home you are looking for there are many homes in that price range here. There are also many northern transplants here (I married one ). Fort Mill has the small town feel but within 10-20 minutes you can be wherever you need to be in Charlotte. They have major league sports, any shopping experience you could want, and an international airport. Within 3 hours we can be in the mountains or the ocean.

I have also lived in Florence-- went to FMU (when it was FMC). I liked it there to -- only a little over an hour to Myrtle Beach.

 

[stm61]

The last time we moved south it was to Cowpens, south of Charlotte, north of Greenville. It's in the upstate but not in the foothills. Much cooler then the lowcountry but not as much snow as the actual foothills or mountains. Beautiful area, closest city is either Spartanburg or Gaffney, Spartanburg being the larger.
We were southern, SC for me, WV for DH, if you consider WV southern (I don't, he does lol). Since I tend to pick up accents quickly without noticing I did find some of the "northern hostility" since we moved south from NJ adn I came equipped with a northern accent. I think it was more from the fact that I was Catholic and, as another poster mentioned, SC is in the heart of the Bible Belt. If I had attended one of the many Baptist churches I would probably have had an easier time. That doesn't mean I was not accepted by anyone, by far it was the opposite! It's just that there were certain "ladies" that I worked with who had never been more then 50 miles from Cowpens in their lives and were quite unhappy when I refused to let them convert me to their religion. To that very small group if your great-great-grandparents weren't born and raised in the south you would never be from the south. We did find the cost of living cheaper there. We were transferred north again 5 yrs ago and when we left we were renting a 4 bedroom, 2 bath for $400 a month! I have heard the prices have gone up some since BMW opened their factory and employees have started to spread out a bit. By the way, if you've never lived in the south before, ask about the personal property tax on your vehicles before you move. I'd forgotten about that and got quite a shock when I went to transfer the plates!

 

[Maleficent2]

leaving for Beauford SC in the morning

Will be there til Saturday.

Like luvdisney81 say Beauford is BEAUTIFUL! We love it there and will probably try to retire as close to there as possible.


What part of the North do you live in that does not have snakes?

Also I think snakes would be the least of your worries in a Carolina coastal town...gators come to mind.


Mal

 

[msdis]

Wow, thanks for all the great posts, wonderful information, and hot tips. Most of the areas mentioned we have looked at. The homes are beautiful in the real estate ads and everything looks so inviting.We initially were planning on FL but there is so many people moving there and their problems are growing beyond what they can handle, not to mention the surge in home prices. That state is going to finish sinking from just the influx. I really want to consider the Carolina's and I think DH is feeling that way too. We're just tired of 9 months of winter. Glad to hear good opinions about the "Yankee" thing.

We are not religious,and not Baptists so I hope that will not be a problem. Did anyone see the 20/20 or night line show a week or 2 ago with the churches and the snakes? Wow! That whole thing freaked us out. I hope that's not to be expected. Not even sure what kind of churches they were. I'd be petrified to even drive by them. LOL! We are actually very quiet, keep to ourselves, and very respectful of others.


Mal- What about the gators? How far north do they travel and how far inland? Wasn't expecting that one so much.

Oh one more question. Can anyone give me the names of their local newspapers so that we can look for job prospects.
Any and all other comments welcome. Keep em coming. Thanks again.

 

[chell]

Did anyone see the 20/20 or night line show a week or 2 ago with the churches and the snakes? Wow! That whole thing freaked us out. I hope that's not to be expected.

No, I do not believe it is to be expected around here. We joke about it from time to time, but I have lived in NC my entire life and have never seen one of these churches.

Boone, NC is another area you might want to look at. You would get more winter there than any other parts of either states, but it is beautiful. Ashe County, NC is beyond beautiful - but it is more of a drive to larger stores. There is now a Wal-Mart there.

I've never seen many snakes in my life around here and I've always lived in Western NC.