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We are retired and looking at moving to SC--probably this fall. We enjoy the water and would plan to bring our pontoon boat with us if we have access to slower water. We keep the boat on a lake in southern PA but we could tow it around as well. So a reasonable slip is an option too.
In the Conway area, is there a real estate agency that you've dealt with and could suggest? We're just beginning to look and plan to come down to MB next week. Any areas to avoid? It appears that very nice homes are listed at < $250.
Everyone on this site has their favorite realtors. Sending you a private message with mine. We moved to SC a year ago to Little River, which is close to boat slips and the calmer waters of the Intercoastal Waterway. Friends of ours also have a pontoon boat and use it on the waterway. As far as areas of Conway to avoid there are sections that I understand are less desirable and others on this site can tell you. As far as housing, homes under $250K are plentiful in all areas of the Grand Strand, not just Conway.
MD is for Maryland. Reminds me of Barney checking into a hotel with Andy when he signed Bernard Pfieff MD and when Andy called him on it, he claimed he meant Mayberry Deputy.
I have looked at many posts on this site regarding Horry County locations and it doesn’t have me ready to pack my bags! Seriously, it sounds like the crime rate and ‘thug’ rates are pretty bad. Perhaps there is a disproportionate number of displeased residents online, or is it just that nasty?
I live in north central Maryland. I recently retired earlier than I’d have wanted. My wife and I both enjoy our pontoon boat that we keep on a small lake in southern PA. We live on a country road with postcard views front and back. In our County, Carroll County, there is low crime overall and none in our area. I think there was one murder last year in Carroll County.
Since retiring, I find that hibernating from December through April is not how I want to spend the rest of my life. Since my wife seriously hates cold weather SC seems like a good tradeoff between where we are now and the heat in Florida. Plus there is opportunity to access the intra-coastal(sp) waterway in a pontoon boat as well as lakes.
We’d like to keep the boat and have access to slow water, fresh and or brackish. If we’d be 30 minutes from a lake, we could do without being coastal, but coastal access or lake access is a must.
We pay $2800 property tax in MD, and $1,200 a year for heating oil. The electric bill is $210 per month plus we burn a good bit of wood. Point being we need a cheaper area from a tax and utility perspective
I do not want and cannot afford to live in a protected gated community with fees and HOA conditions. That said, I have a fear of moving and watching a 30 foot trailer plopped down next door with hound dogs chained to cinder blocks. That can’t happened here
Have you looked at the Murrells Inlet / Pawleys Island area? I am not a boater, but I would think there would be plenty of options down that way (Coastal, the waterway and further south towards Georgetown). Hopefully PD (Pawleysdude) will be around soon. I am sure he could answer that question for you.
As for HOA's, the cost all depends on what it covers. There are some that cost very little and those with many amenities that are higher. It all depends on what you are looking for. Good luck with your move.
We live in Frederick - not far from you! We are doing all we can to move to the Murrells lnlet area. Our daughter went to Coastal Carolina ( in Conway ) and has remained in SC after graduation. I am soooooooooooooo tired of cold and snow and depressing winters. Not to mention the taxes ( that are getting worse ) here in Maryland. Don't judge everything from what you see on these boards. Everyone has an opinion based on THEIR experience. Good luck!
Property taxes and utilities are rediculously cheap here. We pay less than $600 a year on a $200K valued home and the cost will go down even further after age 65.Our HOA fee is $54 a month and it covers the pool, tennis courts, trash, common landscaping. Electic for heat, air conditioning, cooking, our hot tub, etc is less than $150 a month, closer to $120 most months. Moving to So. Carolina will give you a big raise. There are crimes reported in the local paper but typically late night after hours kinds of crimes where people are in areas they should not be. Also, when stats report on crime rates they do not take into account the million plus vistors we get to this area each year. I would recommend a community with an HOA, however, to protect the value of your home. There are many that are reasonably priced. Good luck with your search.
I honestly never considered moving but being retired and this past winter keeping me locked up made the decision for me. There's plenty of 'stuff' close by in Maryland but it is getting really expensive to heat a home and the taxes are getting worse. It's all relative when you are working I guess. The realator comes today to look over our place and estimate the selling price. If it brings enough to do the move, we'll have it on the market later in the summer. As you can tell from my post, we have not even decided where we'll buy a place yet. Thanks
We live in Frederick - not far from you! We are doing all we can to move to the Murrells lnlet area.
When we moved to this area, we rented a house for the first year to get a lay of the land and decide which area we liked best. We liked renting (first time in our married lives that we rented) so much that we almost continued to do so. But, the low interest rates and great deals convinced us to build a new house.
I always suggest that newcomers rent for a period of time so that they can have the time to explore all of the Grand Strand and find the right place for their needs. There are lots of options and one can't possibly evaluate them all in just a few trips.
The first post in this thread also mentions Conway. We had also considered Conway before we moved here and on one of our visits, we stayed at http://www.themoorefarmhouse.com/ . The owners were delightful and were extremely helpful in telling us about Conway, which areas were "bad" and even took several hours to drive us around on a tour of the town. Their knowledge and help were priceless and their hospitality could not be beat. So, if you want to explore Conway, I would highly recommend making using this bed and breakfast your home of operations. (I am in no way associated with this bed and breakfast...just passing along some helpful information.)
Last edited by CTyankee54; 04-05-2013 at 06:43 AM..
When we moved to this area, we rented a house for the first year to get a lay of the land and decide which area we liked best. We liked renting (first time in our married lives that we rented) so much that we almost continued to do so. But, the low interest rates and great deals convinced us to build a new house.
I always suggest that newcomers rent for a period of time so that they can have the time to explore all of the Grand Strand and find the right place for their needs. There are lots of options and one can't possibly evaluate them all in just a few trips.
The first post in this thread also mentions Conway. We had also considered Conway before we moved here and on one of our visits, we stayed at Restful Bed and Breakfast Near Myrtle Beach SC | The Moore Farmhouse . The owners were delightful and were extremely helpful in telling us about Conway, which areas were "bad" and even took several hours to drive us around on a tour of the town. Their knowledge and help were priceless and their hospitality could not be beat. So, if you want to explore Conway, I would highly recommend making using this bed and breakfast your home of operations. (I am in no way associated with this bed and breakfast...just passing along some helpful information.)
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