Cataclysm

My wife and I are considering making a move to either Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, or Florida (panhandle region more than likely).

I'm wondering what areas are nice places to live and aren't to urban. Any nice places near the beach, near being within a 30 min drive max. She loves the ocean so that is a major bonus.

Thanks for anyone who replies.

Ohhhh and also, anyone who works in IT.. how's the job field like? I heard that pay for IT is better on the East Coast compared to here in Arizona and that some IT guys live like kings because the cost of living, depending on where you are located, can be relatively low.

Thanks again!

MULDER

The whole coast of S. Carolina and N. Carolina is a great place. Check out the Charleston area if you want a real old southern experiance + beaches. Our winters are mild, so its top down season almost all year. Moving to Florida these days is about the same as moving to Jersey. Virginia is nice too, but they get a little colder than we do and don't get the benefits of the warm gulf stream waters (think shrinkage ).

Take in the view.....

Hate Me

I just recently moved from Charlotte to Charleston; the company I work for just hired a new IT guy

Charleston is a great place; rich in culture, history, and great cuisine. Real estate is on the pricy side though, especially if you want to live on the beach.

Cataclysm

Thanks for the heads up, both of you.

I don't think we'd ever get beach front property with the chance of a hurricane ever hitting us. But some place within relatively quick driving distance would be nice.

It'll be about two years before we'd move. We plan on buying some property here and sitting on it for two years because real estate is booming here. My brother and his wife bought a house a year ago and it went from 109,000 to 225,000 in a year. It's in the middle of nowhere too. About an hour and forty minutes from Downtown and about 45 minutes from the outskirts of any real city area. Houses in the city are going for 325,000 and rising fast, depending on location of course and size. A 1,000 sq ft 2 bedroom w/ a 1 car garage goes for 125,000 around here and a 1,800 3 bedroom 2 bath w/ a 2 car garage goes for 325,000 as long as it has a nice sized backyard and frontyard.

44Runner

Well, given your criteria, I have to vote Charleston, SC area too. Hands down the winner. I guess I am biased, but I think a lot of people would agree with me here.

Honorable mention goes to Wilmington, NC.

VA and FL have nothing to offer that compares. I love VA and lived there for 4 years, but if you are looking for a beach town, there isn't a good one.

IROC_DIS

i'm sure you already know, but stay as far from myrtle beach as you can. its really not that nice if you plan on staying there for more than a week

Saki GT

I hear Pauleys Island is nice - near Myrtle Beach but not the tourist trap Myrtle has become...

44Runner

That is where BlueIon is from.

There are many nice places around the MB area. MB is a crap trap though.

Cataclysm

What are the prices for Real Estate out there? Here in AZ, a house in the city that is 1700-2000 sq ft runs around 250-350k.. 3 bdr, 2 bath, w/ 2 car garage.

We'd prefer a place that is near the city, not necessarily in the middle of it and without a fairly close, i.e. 30 minutes max, drive to the beach.

44Runner

In the Charleston area prices vary great based on what burb you buy in. In the city is obviously very pricey. I honestly couldn't tell you what a home there would run.

Mt. Pleasant is the priciest of the burbs but I personally (obviously) feel it is the best place to live. Just across the bridge from downtown Charleston and you can't really get that much closer to the beach without living there. You can't be far from the beach in Mt. P. It will never take you more than 15 minutes or so to get to the beach. I think prices compare to what you have listed there but I haven't really been looking at houses, that is just my guess.

But there are tons of other options. None which I am as knowledgable about as Mt. P. but here is the breakdown:

West Ashley (still Charleston but everybody calls it this because charleston is a much different place west of the Ashley River)
James Island
Johns Island
North Charleston
*at this point you are getting kinda inland*
Goose Creek
Summerville
Moncks Corner

Actual beach towns (basically islands like 100 yards off shore which make up most of the real beachs around here):
Isle of Palms (off of Mt. P)
Folley Beach (off of James Island)