Myrtle Beach vs. Wilmington, NC (Charleston, Conway: loan, house, neighborhoods)

[Kirsten101]

Hi,

We are planning a house-hunting trip to the coastal areas of SC and NC and looking for some input. Originally, we were looking at Myrtle Beach, which my husband has visited and liked, but Wilmington also caught our eyes. What would you consider the pros and cons of each of those locations?

We are a family of husband (retired), wife (work from home) and 2-year old child. We do not need to find work locally. We are looking for a 4 bedroom (or 3 bedroom plus bonus room for office) house around 175-225 K. We would like to be within easy drive to daily shopping, playground/swimmingpool/park and perhaps 10-20 minutes to beach; good public school area or Catholic School nearby. I like museums/libraries etc., but we do not like too much traffic and hectic feel on a daily basis. Looking for a place to enjoy a relaxing, but not boring, life!

What do you think would be the best match? And why?

Thanks a lot in advance for your thoughts!

[CTyankee54]

Since no one else has responded, I'll give provide feedback on my experience. I don't know much about Wilmington so my feedback is going to be based mainly on MB. What I do know about Wilmington/NC is that the tax rates seem to be higher in NC. We originally looked at NC as a place to move but when we compared the property tax rates and other misc taxes, SC was definitely a less expensive place to live. The downside of lower taxes is that, generally, you don't receive as many services from the city/county/state. For example, roads are generally better maintained in NC.

That being said, MB can definitely meet most of the needs identified in your post. You can find a very nice house in a development with a pool in that price range. To avoid tourist traffic, you should generally stay on the west side of the inter-coastal waterway. Schools in SC get a bad rap but Horry County schools seem to compete well on standardized testing, etc. but you would need to check out the specific school in the neighborhood you would choose. The County and city of MB have a variety of parks and you could choose a neighborhood close to one of the parks if that is what you are looking for. Especially during the summer, there are tons of free or low cost concerts and activities to attend...in the winter, not so much but if you look close enough, there's plenty to do...lots of local theatre groups, Costal Carolina University has many activities open to the public, as well as the tourist activities...many of the shows stay open all year long. If you can't find something in MB, Charleston is only a couple of hours away for a special occasion.

The one activity that you'll find lacking in MB is museums...there are a few but they are small...nothing like the bigger cities. Horry County has a library system but they are small compared to larger cities....the nice thing, though, is that you can get any book through an interlibrary loan from anywhere in the country. It takes about a week or so to get the book, but it can be obtained.

As far as traffic, there are certain neighborhoods that I would recommend that you avoid because the access points are directly in the path of tourist traffic. But there are a multitude of communities that allow you to live your life without ever having to travel the main tourist routes. If you would like, PM me and I can provide more information and an agent who could show you around (not me...I'm not an agent).

I hope this helps. Sorry I couldn't give more info on Wilmington. Perhaps you could get feedback on that town on the Coastal NC City-Data forum. I can tell you that we are very happy with our move and where we live. You are taking the right approach in visiting in "finding a place to live" mode rather than "vacation mode." Your focus is totally different and your experience is different when you visit with the idea of "is this a place I want to live" rather than "let's have fun!"

[symbasmommy]

Hi,

I think maybe you and your family would like Brunswick County area or possibly New Hanover County...right outside of Wilmington...I was thinking Leland, NC...it is a growing area and meets all your requirements...if I could I would move closer to Wilmington and consider that area myself....but my hubby has a job all the way in Conway, SC....commute impossible!

I suggest living closer to the city of Wilmington since you seem to me by your post to be a cultural minded, educated individual...you will find that more in the Wilmington area....maybe not what you are used to...but more than the Myrtle Beach area...which I feel is more geared towards retirees....

Best wishes.

[Kirsten101]

Thank you for your thorough replies! They are much appreciated!