The wife and I have been considering Charleston SC for our new home. Been to Charleston a couple times, but not enough to understand the goings on there.
Any members who might be acquainted to that area?
Thank you
Mike
I lived and worked in Charleston from 1999-2008. I was raised in Richmond, VA, and I like southern living. I hate winter, and I like palm trees. My wife and I moved to Charleston to do our residency training at MUSC hospital downtown. We lived in a duplex located on Rutledge, just south of Broad St for four years. We rode our bikes about a mile each day to get to the hospital. It was fantastic. I love the architecture and the scale and walkability of downtown Charleston, as well as the numerous parks and playgrounds.
But to reiterate Chris' comment, downtown Charleston is slowly sinking, and floods are a problem. I would have an SUV as a DD for that reason, if I lived downtown or if I had to use the Crosstown expressway, which links both Mt Pleasant and West Ashley to downtown.
Once we were expecting our second child, we needed a bigger place, so we moved to West Ashley for the next five years, but within a mile of the bridge to downtown. We lived in an area called Wappoo Heights, which was an older suburb, with most homes from the 1940-60s vintage. Our house was nothing special, but the yard was a half acre of towering oaks dripping with Spanish Moss. So beautiful. My job was in a private practice less than ten minutes drive from the house.
As for weather, highs in the 50s in winter, and 90s in the summer. Only a few nights a year dip below freezing, especially closer to the water.
So why are you thinking Charleston--beaches? weather? golf? work related move? I was pretty busy back then with little kids and a job, but about once or twice a month I was able to sneak off to Folly Beach for some waves, even in winter (with a heavy wetsuit). The driving roads suck around Charleston. Straight and flat.
Charleston is not cheap. Plenty of million dollar homes. Summerville is affordable and nice, but it puts you an hour from the beaches and forty minutes from downtown. Charleston has lots off commuter traffic. If you live way out and have to commute into town, it is unpleasant. If you are retired, then not as much of a concern.
If you want a house with a dock in Charleston, expect it to be very expensive, and the tides are big, so a lot of docks have little to no water at low tide. Waterways can be crowded in summer.
What is your housing budget? How many SF are you expecting?
My favorite areas are I'on in Mt. Pleasant, old village Mt Pleasant, downtown south of Calhoun St, Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms, of course there is nothing below 500k in any of these areas. Along the SC coast, I like the sleepy town of Beaufort. Also, I really like Amelia Island, FL, which has landscape very much like Charleston, but no state income tax.
Charleston has low prop taxes, but a significant state income tax, high annual tax on cars, and sales tax. Expect to pay flood insurance and hurricane insurance. Expect to want to get away in the summer to Idaho, or the NC mountains, about four hours away. It's hot June-Sept. And there are a lot of no see ums in some areas. Worse than mosquitos.
I earn a lot more in my job here in FL,, and I live a couple of blocks from the gulf and we have a dock with a boat behind our house here in FL. If my current job had been in Charleston, I never would have left. Charleston is great, if you can afford the nicer areas and you don't need to commute. It all depends on your housing budget. BTW my sister is retired and divides her time between Vero Beach and Sun Valley.
