Charleston Relocation
Where to Live in Charleston, Sc
People moving to Charleston, SC often have questions about where to live (or where to invest). As a real estate agent, I always ask them, “What are you looking for?” In order to help people who are relocating to the Charleston area, I have organized my suggestions into 7 answers.
1) Folly Beach is a great investment because there will pretty much always be a great demand of people who want to live at the beach. Folly Beach is the most popular beach in the Charleston area, especially for college students and young professionals. Add this popularity with its proximity to downtown Charleston, and you will find that Folly Beach is a great rental area.
2) James Island is a little more affordable than Folly Beach, and it is even closer to downtown Charleston (about a 5 minute drive). James Island is mostly a residential area, but there are some restaurants (most of which are independently owned). James Island is very laid back, and many students from College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina live here. The young population and proximity to Folly Beach makes James Island a great rental area for investors.
(3) Johns Island is ideal for people who want more space – larger yards, less traffic, and fewer neighbors. Also, land in Johns Island is a great investment because there are plans to extend the Interstate to the area. Johns Island will slowly become less rural and more developed.
4) West Ashley is more affordable compared to James Island, Johns Island, and Mt. Pleasant. And, it is still very close to Folly Beach (about a 20 to 30 minute drive) and to downtown Charleston (about a 10 to 15 minute drive). West Ashley has more commercial real estate compared to James Island and John’s Island – there are lots of chain restaurants and shopping centers.
5) Downtown Charleston is a highly desirable place to live because it is so rich in history and culture. Downtown Charleston has beautiful old houses, but they are much more expensive than some of the other areas in Charleston. Also, taxes have soared over the past few years – so take the taxes into consideration when comparing prices of homes in Charleston.
6) Mt. Pleasant has the best public schools in Charleston County. There is also plenty of shopping and restaurants in this somewhat upscale area. Mt. Pleasant also has a great location – about 10 minutes to the beaches and about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown Charleston. The main drawback is price – Mt. Pleasant is more expensive compared to other non-beachfront real estate in Charleston.
7) Summerville rivals Mt. Pleasant when it comes to public schools, but Summerville is much more affordable. It has a small town feel, but real estate there has grown rapidly in the past five years and will continue to grow. The biggest drawback to buying a house there is location. Summerville is about 45 minutes from downtown Charleston and a little less than an hour to the closest beach. Summerville is less of an investment area compared to James Island or Johns Island simply because of appreciation. However, if you are looking for a place to live and have a tighter budget, Summerville would be a good area to consider.
Charleston has so many communities to choose from. The seven I discussed are some of the most popular. If you are buying real estate as an investment, be sure to get statistics on appreciation and possibly rental history. If you are buying real estate as a primary residence, be sure to talk with someone who has lived in the area so that you can learn about real estate specifically in the area you will be buying.
About the Author
Lee Keadle has worked with many buyers relocating to Charleston, SC. He specializes in James Island homes, but his team can help you find any Charleston homes for sale!
Relocation to US which state ?
Relocation to US which state ?
I and my wife are ready to relocate to US. Visas are ready.
I have three states in Mind North charleston (South Carolina), Houston (Texas) Georgia
Kindly advise which of these three I should relocate to.
I am from africa. I have limited funds. I am computer graduate.
Desktop support specialist.
How easy to get jobs.
Accomodation price ( 1 0r 2 bedroom)
water bill
Electric bill
heating bill
council tax
transportation
so please i need precise details(monetary value) as per above and any other that I have missed. I intend to relocate within the next two months so I need to plan very well. and how much funds do I need to relocate with. How easy to get jobs. What and what to look for and what and what to run away from
Thanks in advance for your advice
Are you a black African or white African? The reason I ask is that the cities you list are all in the southern United States. Things are better here since the Civil War and the end of Jim Crow, but still, prejudice in Texas and South Carolina are still very strong, very open, and sometimes a huge hurdle. The southern states also have little in the way of public services. Not only is assistance with mental health or public health limited, but libraries, parks, and rec centers tend to be meager, too. Especially in ‘black’ parts of town. And, the thing about the south is that there are black and white parts of town, still, to this day. Realtors engage in ’steering’ – only showing people the parts of town that the the ‘powers that be’ want people to live in. Also, rental agents will out and out lie to black applicants about availability of units – this has been demonstrated in tests by newspapers.
Of the three places you name, Georgia, in the Atlanta area only, is the most progressive. It is a friendly, warm, and wonderful city. It has been booming. However, they have a huge illegal immigrant population and a recent crackdown on these immigrants actually left a factory town unable to function. So, they’ve got growing pains.
Apartments of 1 – 2 bedrooms can cost 1200/mo in the city, 600 -750 in the suburbs. Electricity, heat, and water are sometimes included in the rent – ‘utilities included’ the ad will say. Otherwise, say 25/mo water, 80/mo electric which often includes heating. The southern states, of course, are warmer, and we are having a warm spell right now.
council tax? Don’t know what that is, tho different states have different taxes apart from federal income tax. Texas has no income tax, but it shows.
Transportation – Atlanta has public transportation. Washington DC has public transportation. In DC, it’s about 7 dollars a day to commute from the suburbs to the city by bus.
Pollution in Houston is horrific and makes it worth crossing off your list altogether.
Have you looked online for newspapers in those cities/states? Also, craigslist.org in those cities will be very informative, and have job and housing ads. Many communities have on-line webpages that give you info about the govt of the city, the businesses, and the atmosphere. Search on google.com for that.
It should be easy to get a job in your field, but check the local papers to get a feel for the specific area. Conditions vary widely. As others have said here, the better the jobs, the higher the rents.
Some people move far out to the suburbs because the housing prices are so shocking and then they end up spending more overall because of transportation back in to the city. Many find it better to pay the higher rent.
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