how is it to live in myrtle beach? (Little River: for sale, condos)

[ruby429]

LOL...PAWLEYSDUDE! I have been doing some research re Myrtle Beach area & its THE SAME DEBBIE-DOWNERS posting their disdain for the area.....jeez, MOVE ALREADY & quit yer bitchin' people!

[rawfoodsparkle]

Again:I also am checking out sc....
There are alot of factors to consider when moving so I'll try to list some of my family needs and wants to research Myrtle BEACH VS CHARLESTON VS ?. I'.ve lived in NW GA for 12 years but am from the East end of LI,NY. So my list is: enough shops and businesses to keep us busy for awhile for work and play
safe place with fairly low crime and can be upt to 100 m from the beach
friendly people(no matter where you come from) and no white/black issues
homeschoolers and good schools(not all places are HS friendly)
no tornados(been tru Andrew and Apr 27,11 outbreak)
beach(tired of MTS)
good amount of kids 13 and up
skateboard park or safe places for kids to do this
christian churches
activity and warm weather most of the year
Housing..rent first later buy.What is average rent in safe neighborhood 4 bd( or private) property.What is average price for single fam home with a few acres? Love living privately with acreage around but also a little tired of suclusion-so either way.
Also are there many people moving to MB from the north,west and Pac NW? .......Honesty and comments will be appreciated.
Any Charleston comments?

[rawfoodsparkle]

I've seen the issue of this poor lost teen and had Q's as to the saftey of this area. All areas that are spring break areas seem to have saftey issues from what I've seen and alot of coastal areas.How often has this happened in this area and what are your comments?
I'm not insulting any locals so please keep it peaceful,I'm just a curious parent interested in the all the issues of researching a new area that's safe for my family to live.
Saw Brittany Drexel missing videos all over youtube while I was trying to
find out info on different coastal areas,one of which was Myrtle Beach.
although this happens in mtn areas as well.Tenn just 3 weeks ago.

[elthznd901]

Originally Posted by rawfoodsparkle

Again:I also am checking out sc....
There are alot of factors to consider when moving so I'll try to list some of my family needs and wants to research Myrtle BEACH VS CHARLESTON VS ?. I'.ve lived in NW GA for 12 years but am from the East end of LI,NY. So my list is: enough shops and businesses to keep us busy for awhile for work and play
safe place with fairly low crime and can be upt to 100 m from the beach
friendly people(no matter where you come from) and no white/black issues
homeschoolers and good schools(not all places are HS friendly)
no tornados(been tru Andrew and Apr 27,11 outbreak)
beach(tired of MTS)
good amount of kids 13 and up
skateboard park or safe places for kids to do this
christian churches
activity and warm weather most of the year
Housing..rent first later buy.What is average rent in safe neighborhood 4 bd( or private) property.What is average price for single fam home with a few acres? Love living privately with acreage around but also a little tired of suclusion-so either way.
Also are there many people moving to MB from the north,west and Pac NW? .......Honesty and comments will be appreciated.
Any Charleston comments?

definitely interested in hearing some responses to this.. I am also from the east end of LI.. been in Colorado for going on 10 years.. and have been comparing the Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Charleston range of places for a little while now. Im actually in Holden Beach right now.. checking out Myrtle tomorrow, but wont quite make it down to Charleston this trip.

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by rawfoodsparkle

Again:I also am checking out sc....
There are alot of factors to consider when moving so I'll try to list some of my family needs and wants to research Myrtle BEACH VS CHARLESTON VS ?. I'.ve lived in NW GA for 12 years but am from the East end of LI,NY. So my list is: enough shops and businesses to keep us busy for awhile for work and play
safe place with fairly low crime and can be upt to 100 m from the beach
friendly people(no matter where you come from) and no white/black issues
homeschoolers and good schools(not all places are HS friendly)
no tornados(been tru Andrew and Apr 27,11 outbreak)
beach(tired of MTS)
good amount of kids 13 and up
skateboard park or safe places for kids to do this
christian churches
activity and warm weather most of the year
Housing..rent first later buy.What is average rent in safe neighborhood 4 bd( or private) property.What is average price for single fam home with a few acres? Love living privately with acreage around but also a little tired of suclusion-so either way.
Also are there many people moving to MB from the north,west and Pac NW? .......Honesty and comments will be appreciated.
Any Charleston comments?

Charleston hands down has better shopping.

See my post on crime statistics for Myrtle Beach. Charleston proper is virtually crime free but $$$$$. North Charleston is a crime ridden breeding ground for gangs.

You have friendly people all over the south but both Myrtle Beach and Charleston have an influx of yankees who can be very rude. As far as racism is concerned, you'll find that everywhere in the US.

My best friend home schooled her two kids and they were very much integrated with the local kids.

We have tornados. Everywhere in the US has tornadoes.

Both have beautiful beaches. My favorites would be Sullivans Island/IOP or Pawleys.

Tons of kids.

Very few skateboard parks because the kids here all surf. No need for a substitute when they have the real thing.

Tons of Churches. That's an odd question. Charleston also has a very large Jewish population.

We have warm weather all but about six weeks of the year. From about mid December to about February 1st the daily high is about 55 and then it is over. Locals joke that we have Christmas, Bike Weeks, summer, and Fourth of July.

Definitely rent first. Here is the big difference, Charleston is MUCH more expensive for desirable areas. Myrtle Beach $1500 will get you your dream home. In a good neighborhood in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and surrounding areas you are looking at $2500+.

Our snowbirds and relocated tend to be from the heavily populated northeast. 40% of the US population is within a 12 hour driving distance of Myrtle Beach and that is who retires here. People from the West or NW tend to stay west (Arizona, New Mexico, California).

[NikkiT30]

Not sure if you've relocated yet - But I'll put my two cents in
I'm a single mom of two from Chicago, and I am relocating to Myrtle Beach next year in July. ...I saw someone mentioned why not Chicago - no. As a single mom and working as a medical assistant, you'll fail out here. Our taxes, rent, etc is very high.

Do your research first. Ensure there is an open market with your job. Look for daycares, pediatricians, etc before you move. Also - Calculate the cost to move everything vs buy everything, and ensure you have 3 months worth of living expenses saved up (in addition to your first and last months rent that would be a required deposit).

Do yourself a favor and take a tip from this single mom: Take a week without your child, go down there, grab a hotel, and investigate. See if you like the area, and go during tourist season so you can see just how busy MB can be. This is also the time for you to interview apartments, townhomes, etc and find a place you want to live should you decide it's the right location for you.

Two-Three months before you want to move down there, start flooding the market with your resume, schedule all of your interviews in the same week and head back down there. Be upfront about your relocating and the realistic time you could start work. Many employers are understanding about relocating and needing the time to get down there and secure everything.

My other tip - calculate the cost to move all of your belongings vs selling everything and starting over. For me - living in Chicago, I'm selling just about everything. The cost to rent a moving truck AND the gas it would take to get out there, it was cheaper (and easier) for me to sell everything and just start over. I'm keeping the kids toys, our clothes, their bedroom furniture - but I've sold everything else. Granted, this situation is unique to me ... but it's something you do need to consider.

Onto the most important factor: Your finances. Try to get an idea of your salary ahead of time. Do you get child support, how much? How much debt do you have? Student Loans, Car Payments, Car Insurance, Cellphone, then factor in utilities, rent, gas to and from work, groceries, etc.

I know SC has a program where they will help pay for your daycare, but they help - they don't cover the full expense. I think as far as single parenting and MB is concerned - there is room for opportunity... I'm sure much like Chicago, New York is quite expensive on rent. This is where I feel that if you are willing to look outside of myrtle beach into towns such as Socastee or more outter parts of MB - that you will be able to find some great places to live that are affordable for you.

Don't over extend yourself financially, be sure that you will have room to breathe. God forbid another bill rolls in, you want to know you can cover it.

Good Luck to you on whatever your decision may be. No one can truly make it for you, but if you're simply looking for reassurance... find it within. Look at the facts on paper. DOn't kid yourself, Overestimate your bills and Underestimate your income. You'll be better off! Good Luck!

[loveagrey1]

Originally Posted by Sunny-Days-in-Florida

Out of the many post here you are the first one I remember that hates Myrtle Beach and mentioned rednecks.

If you dislike it so much why don't you move?

I personally know many people who have moved from my hometown to Myrtle Beach and not one of them ever mentioned rednecks etc.

Did you not know Myrtle Beach has a lot of traffic before you moved?

I have family moving to Myrtle Beach soon and I do not believe they had trouble finding jobs and know about the traffic.

People work for nothing? Waitress we met last year at a Myrtle restaurant was knocking down 150-200 a day just in tips. Not too bad.

College kid doing some caddying at local golf courses told us he was making a couple hundred a day just caddying.

My family member took a job in the Myrtle Beach area for double the salary he was making in Ohio.

These types of employment are SEASONAL...plan to survive on savings the rest of the fall, winter season...just sayin.....

And, as always, you will see many who love it here and many who don't...I find most of the ones who love it here...come with a job already secured, have money and are retiring here, and those who think just because there is a beach here it is paradise....My husband and I have VERY GOOD jobs here in the Myrtle Beach as opposed to many here and it is a struggle each day...and we do not have children.....I hear my co-workers who make less money struggle with expenses and have children....just please do some more research on your own and separare from this forum. Best of luck!

[Chinadoll1]

I think what the single Mother is looking for (instead of random opinions and people getting "up in arms" because someone "bashes" Myrtle Beach LOL)- is real information like housing prices, crime rate ,maybe a link to a site that has REAL crime statistics (instead of arbitrary opinions) .It is a free country and people still have a right to voice their opinions, even if they don't coincide with yours-if someone wants to say Myrtle beach "sucks" this automatically makes them a troll? Maybe this is their honest feeling about the place and who is anyone to tell them they don't have a right to feel as they feel/ Are there thought police out there? Live and let live. My thoughts on the job front is that if you have a good education or the right skills, you can get a job anywhere in the U.S. Of course a job in Myrtle Beach won't pay what a job in N.Y. would pay , but then again, a very average house will not cost you 500,000.00 in MB like it does in my native Boston (or N.Y. ) where I was born. AND a person with skills in the medical field will always find a job.

[tiggeerrific]

This post is old 2011

[shabbycasa]

Originally Posted by tiggeerrific

This post is old 2011

But still quite relevant for lots of folks.