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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2015 16:49:59 GMT
Hi y'all! DH and I are starting to think about where we might like to end up after we retire. Where we live is crowded and expensive, and not too much family left here, so we're starting to explore other areas. We did a motorcycle trip around the Carolinas one year and were really impressed with this part of the country. We went through Savannah and Charleston, up to Asheville NC and various stops in between. Beautiful places, nice weather, friendly people, etc.
So my question for you is, if you could live anywhere in SC, where would it be? Assume for the sake of argument that money is no object (it is, but it's nice to know where the most desirable places are and take it from there.)
Thank you!
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Post by greenlegume on May 31, 2015 17:27:32 GMT
The low country (Charleston, etc.) or upstate (Greenville, Clemson, etc. area)
IMO, the midlands is not a great area of the state.
I'd actually prefer NC (Asheville area)or coastal areas over SC. I'm definitely a beach or mountains person.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2015 17:45:20 GMT
Thanks, GL. I really liked the mountain area near Asheville quite a bit
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 31, 2015 17:49:02 GMT
I agree with greenlegume about the midlands. I'm crushing on downtown Greenville lately. They have done so much to make their downtown a real destination full of shopping, dining, quaint bars, entertainment, and more. The Peace Center hosts great Broadway shows and good concerts. And there's an amazing park with waterfalls right smack dab in the middle of downtown. They just acquired the land to create another park downtown as well that will be even larger. Lots of street festivals, too. (We are about an hour from there.) Greenville or up above it puts you near Asheville, NC too which is an awesome place. If you are into horses, either Aiken or Camden are good areas. Lots of history in both places and both have a sort of yuppie vibe. Coastal-wise, I'd pick an area outside of Charleston. The beaches around Georgetown would be my second choice. Personally, I despise Myrtle Beach. I would not want to be anywhere near there. And although Hilton Head is lovely and I've spent many a summer there, I would not want to live there year-round. Lots of people choose the area right below Charlotte as well -- Tega Cay, Indian Land, and that area. I'd put it lower on my list though than some of the other options. The Santee-Cooper area is a choice for many who like lake life but be really careful what community you select there, Some of the poorest counties in the state are in that area.
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Post by MorellisCupcake on May 31, 2015 18:02:35 GMT
I'm crushing on downtown Greenville lately. They have done so much to make their downtown a real destination full of shopping, dining, quaint bars, entertainment, and more. The Peace Center hosts great Broadway shows and good concerts. And there's an amazing park with waterfalls right smack dab in the middle of downtown. They just acquired the land to create another park downtown as well that will be even larger. Lots of street festivals, too. I used to live in Greenville and would go back in a hot minute if I ever had the chance. Reasonable cost of living, low property taxes, small town feel even though it's not, and easy to get to Atlanta, the beach, the mountains, etc.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 31, 2015 18:05:11 GMT
And, hey OP... if you do decide on Greenville, my best friend just happens to be one of the best real estate agents in Greenville (owns her own company). I can get you the hook-up if you need! Lol.
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Post by eebud on May 31, 2015 18:39:03 GMT
My mother lives in Clemson. She loves it in Clemson. Clemson is a college town. People are friendly. When school is not in session, it seems to be pretty sleepy. If you like the arts, there are many options in or close to Clemson. Spongemom already mentioned The Peace Center in Greenville. I know my mother goes there for shows frequently. Also, there are many things like shows, symphonies, and other arts through Clemson that are either free or very cheap. Some of the really cheap or free might be for seniors but if you are looking for a retirement location, you might meet the criteria. Her cost of living in Clemson is very reasonable. She has no desire to ever move from there.
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caro
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Post by caro on May 31, 2015 18:42:39 GMT
My DS lives in Fort Mill, SC right below Charlotte. I love it. Small town feel with big town Charlotte right around the corner. I would move there in a heartbeat.
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Post by alexa11 on May 31, 2015 18:55:10 GMT
I'm crushing on downtown Greenville lately. They have done so much to make their downtown a real destination full of shopping, dining, quaint bars, entertainment, and more. The Peace Center hosts great Broadway shows and good concerts. And there's an amazing park with waterfalls right smack dab in the middle of downtown. They just acquired the land to create another park downtown as well that will be even larger. Lots of street festivals, too. I used to live in Greenville and would go back in a hot minute if I ever had the chance. Reasonable cost of living, low property taxes, small town feel even though it's not, and easy to get to Atlanta, the beach, the mountains, etc. Greenville is a great place! I'm in Anderson- about 30 miles south- it's just a little smaller. But Greenville has so much to offer and you're only about an hour or so from Asheville. It's about 4 hrs or so from Charleston. And only a couple of hrs to Atlanta, if you want to go to the big city-lol.
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Post by Patter on May 31, 2015 19:24:07 GMT
Having lived in both SC and NC, I would choose where we are right now over every other place. We are in Hickory, NC. We are only 1 hour 15 minutes from all of these places: Asheville, the mountains, Charlotte, and Winston-Salem. We LOVE it! We don't plan on moving again. This is our retirement home (so I tell hubby). The kids are in college near Clemson (in fact one daughter is dual enrolled at Clemson and her other school). I would personally not choose that area, and they said they would not either. Greenville would be nice but I prefer where we are.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2015 19:24:36 GMT
And, hey OP... if you do decide on Greenville, my best friend just happens to be one of the best real estate agents in Greenville (owns her own company). I can get you the hook-up if you need! Lol. Thanks for all this great info Spongemom! I will be sending you Peamail about your friend when DH and I get some time to go down and really look around! Greenville was already on our radar, and now we're getting some great feedback, thanks to all!
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Post by scrappysurfer on May 31, 2015 19:35:10 GMT
I live in Charleston but I adore the Asheville NC area. We love to camp, on fact we are leaving on Thursday for a weekend camping trip to the Highland NC area.
Charleston has really blown up in population thanks tso Conde Nast naming it the #1 city in the US the past few years, there's great dining, relatively low cost of living and plenty to see and do, and accessibility to the beach. But there's just something to be said about the quiet peacefulness just steps away from Asheville in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. we are surfers and not quite willing to give up the beach, but I'd seriously consider moving there.
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61redhead
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Post by 61redhead on May 31, 2015 19:56:57 GMT
Don't know where you live now, but be aware that the humidity here (SC) definitely takes some getting used to. We just spent a long weekend traveling around Asheville/Cherokee/Gatlinburg, and the weather was fabulous! Even though it reached a warm 70+ during the day and was hot in the sunshine, you could step into the shade of a tree and find immediate relief. You can't do that here. The summer air is just thick with humidity.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on May 31, 2015 21:24:11 GMT
Thanks, GL. I really liked the mountain area near Asheville quite a bit I love living in Asheville.. but if you need to work bring a job with you!! Its expensive.!!
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Post by greenlegume on May 31, 2015 22:11:20 GMT
I agree with greenlegume about the midlands. I'm crushing on downtown Greenville lately. They have done so much to make their downtown a real destination full of shopping, dining, quaint bars, entertainment, and more. The Peace Center hosts great Broadway shows and good concerts. And there's an amazing park with waterfalls right smack dab in the middle of downtown. They just acquired the land to create another park downtown as well that will be even larger. Lots of street festivals, too. (We are about an hour from there.) Greenville or up above it puts you near Asheville, NC too which is an awesome place. If you are into horses, either Aiken or Camden are good areas. Lots of history in both places and both have a sort of yuppie vibe. Coastal-wise, I'd pick an area outside of Charleston. The beaches around Georgetown would be my second choice. Personally, I despise Myrtle Beach. I would not want to be anywhere near there. And although Hilton Head is lovely and I've spent many a summer there, I would not want to live there year-round. Lots of people choose the area right below Charlotte as well -- Tega Cay, Indian Land, and that area. I'd put it lower on my list though than some of the other options. The Santee-Cooper area is a choice for many who like lake life but be really careful what community you select there, Some of the poorest counties in the state are in that area. My soul-sister! I despise Myrtle Beach with heat of a thousand fiery suns. In my mind, it's like Gatlinburg. An absolutely beautiful area ruined by trashy tourist traps Not sure I'd want to live in Charleston full-time, but I love the history there, so in the surrounding area would be lovely. Although I'd take Charleston any day over the midlands. And like you, if I'm going to live upstate, I'd much rather live in the Greenville area.
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Post by epeanymous on May 31, 2015 22:17:15 GMT
I lived in Columbia for five years and don't recommend anywhere in the middle of the state. Low cost of living, but not pretty and not much to do. I would live in the Charleston area in SC, or in Asheville in NC.
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Peamac
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Post by Peamac on Jun 1, 2015 13:56:10 GMT
I have family in Greenville and love the area, but would not want to live in that humidity! It is very low cost of living, though.
My sister lives just outside Asheville (like 10 minutes from the airport), but says it's so expensive to live in the city that the people who work there (at stores, restaurants, etc) can't afford to actually live in Asheville. She has a great view of the mountains, nice rural area, just minutes from the city and much less expensive.
DD is in grad school in Savannah- hates the humidity and pollen (and tourists), but it's a beautiful area and she'll only be there another year. It's also very expensive.
My niece is in Charleston for school and likes it.
We lived in eastern North Carolina (an hour or two from the coast) and it was miserably humid, too. The cost of living was cheaper since it wasn't a touristy place.
Before making a decision, I'd definitely visit during the summer months to make sure you'd be comfortable in the weather. That would be very important for me. You can't just go from one air-conditioned space to another and avoid the heat.
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Post by bigbundt on Jun 1, 2015 14:07:17 GMT
I live in Rock Hill (just below Fort Mill) and while I like it, it is not a place I would choose to move when I retire just because there isn't a ton to do. But it is a nice place to live if you work in Charlotte! Fort Mill is too and there are a ton of retirees from the northeast but honestly it is growing very rapidly and the infrastructure isn't keeping up. Traffic is awful and they are just building more and more subdivisions for all the people moving there.
We love the Charleston area and I would pick there. Asheville is beautiful but expensive. I haven't been to Greenville but I keep hearing more and more about how wonderful it is so I want to check it out now!
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eleezybeth
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Post by eleezybeth on Jun 1, 2015 14:57:10 GMT
I went to school in Columbia and quite enjoyed myself. Centrally located and easy to get anywhere plus the university brings in lots to do. But, if I had all the choices in the world I'd choose Beaufort which I believe I am spelling wrong. It was just a quaint little town and close enough to Charleston without being in Charleston.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jun 1, 2015 17:23:12 GMT
My first job out of graduate school was in Charlotte and I lived in Rock Hill. You spelled it right! It's a lovely area very close to Hilton Head.
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Post by songbird on Jun 1, 2015 20:05:34 GMT
I cannot wait to get out of the low country. There's so many people moving here that it's just sucking the fun out of living here. Last week a lady cut a guy off driving a tanker on the Ravenel Bridge, and it was closed down in both directions from 11am until almost 8pm. The entire road system was in gridlock for hours. There were people in traffic for over 2+ hours to go 10 miles. Those are the kinds of things that make me really dislike a place. We were discussing traffic (we do often) and wondering why there's no light rail system down here. They cannot and will not be able to make roads, or widen roads, fast enough. I guess if you're retired you might not care as much about traffic.
I love Asheville! It's a great little town with a lot to do and see. My fiance's parents live by Rock Hill, and it is nice being in the country but also only a 30 minute drive to Charlotte!
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Post by donna on Jun 1, 2015 20:24:02 GMT
We live in the midlands. I really do not like it here. It is not green enough. If I had to live in another place of SC I would choose around Greenville. I love the mountains and how green it is up there.
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kate
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Post by kate on Jun 2, 2015 0:39:57 GMT
My MIL retired to Asheville, and she loved it. It had a lovely mix of small-town and cosmopolitan flavors. It has proper seasons, but the winters are not as brutal as the Great Lakes area where she lived for many years. She came back north to be near family when having her own house became too much for her. You might think about that - we all think we'll live on our own forever, but it can get tough with no family - she had good friends, but many of them died or moved to be nearer their kids as they became elderly. Driving became harder in the mountains at night, etc. - eventually, she got kind of isolated. The happy (though off-topic) ending is that we all love having her closer to us, and she's in fantastic health.
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janeliz
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Post by janeliz on Jun 2, 2015 12:01:38 GMT
For retirement? I'd head to the Beaufort area. There are few places more lovely and peaceful than the SC Lowcountry, in my opinion. I enjoy Charleston for dining and nightlife, but if I were looking for a place to retire then Beaufort is a notch above Charleston.
If you want to be closer to the mountains of SC and NC, then I concur that Greenville is a great area.
If you'd like to be somewhere in the middle of the mountains and the coast and you like lake living, you may want to check out the Lake Murray or Lake Wateree areas. If you like being in a University area, check out the Shandon or Heathwood neighborhoods of Columbia.
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Post by CarolinaGirl71 on Jun 2, 2015 12:37:47 GMT
I'm a beach person, so I'd pick somewhere on the coast. Beaufort is wonderful, Fripp Island is near there.
I love the Georgetown beaches - I'd live at Debordieu if money was no object! I wouldn't be anywhere near Myrtle Beach proper - way too busy and touristy. Check out Pawley's Island and the beaches between there and Debordieu.
Edisto Beach is wonderful if you really want a slow pace, laid back life - and close enough to get to Charleston for all you might need. It's nickname is "Edislow".
Also, Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island are both beautiful, it is lovely there.
I've lived in Columbia for 30+ years and I love it here, but it is terribly hot and humid in the summers. I don't think I would choose to move here for retirement, but we will most likely stay here to be close to family and friends. It is two hours from beach or mountains, and we are Gamecock fans! Lake Murray and Lake Wateree are both wonderful - Lake Murray is busier, more open water, our friends who like sailboats prefer it. Lake Wateree is kind of laid back, but lovely, too!
The Greenville/Clemson area is beautiful, but it's the most conservative area of a conservative state. I'm ok with it, but just make sure that you are before choosing to move there.
Best wishes with your decision. We love SC!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2015 12:51:43 GMT
My brother and his family have lived in Greenville since the mid-90s. I also lived there for 2 years around the same time. That area has really grown in the last 20 years. Downtown has been revitalized with lots of shops and restaurants. My fave is Spill the Beans, a coffee shop close to Reedy River Falls.
They live a little northwest of Gville in the Traveler's Rest area. It's gorgeous in the fall with the mountains and changing leaves.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jun 2, 2015 13:00:02 GMT
And for the uninitiated, if you're from South Carolina, you pronounce that Debby-Dew. And make sure you draawwwllll that out.
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anniebeth24
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Post by anniebeth24 on Jun 2, 2015 13:06:27 GMT
For years, my in-laws had planned to retire to the Asheville, NC area, having chosen it for its beauty and the mild climate. However, when they actually started looking into the details, they ended up choosing Tennessee because of the much lower tax rates.
They are in Crossville, TN - midway between Knoxville and Nashville. Town sits up on the Cumberland Plateau on a higher elevation than Nashville, so they don't get the heat. They have four seasons, but not an extreme of any. I think they call themselves the Golf Capital of TN.
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Post by metaldancer on Jun 2, 2015 15:03:25 GMT
If money were no object, I'd live on the Isle of Palms. I love the coast, but I am more drawn toward the mountains. Asheville is a great town (I live in NC). All sorts of eclectic little shops and restaurants downtown and what I call "free and breezy" people. lol And there is lots of shopping and chain restaurants too. Mountain views are wonderful. If I had a mountain town choice, it would be Valle Crucis NC - just a little bend in the road but close to Boone. Peaceful, quiet, serene.
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Post by CarolinaGirl71 on Jun 2, 2015 16:48:06 GMT
And for the uninitiated, if you're from South Carolina, you pronounce that Debby-Dew. And make sure you draawwwllll that out. I definitely pronounce it that way - but I try to spell correctly, even if it is the internet!
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