Interracial couple Moving to Charleston, WV (Huntington, South Charleston: affordable apartments, crime, credit)
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I apologize about the title of my post, but City-data wanted more description than just "moving to Charleston, WV.
Anyway, as described in the Title, me and my wife are moving in January to Charleston. Her job in Texas is closing down and one of the options she has is to move to Charleston. Specifically she will be working within a block of Charleston Town Center Mall.
We are an interracial couple (i am white, she is black) and we were raised in atlanta, although for the past 10 yrs we have been living in Texas. I have read through city-data and other websites that racism is very much alive in the area. My question is, is this true?
We would like to know what areas to look into moving to avoid such problems but at the same time be rather close to Town center mall due to the fact we have no idea how to drive in the snow Unfortunately we have some baggage. I have been unemployed for over 4 yrs so our credit is pretty much ruined. also we can only afford a place thats under $600 a month (for an apartment, which for some reason I cant find any online). We have two special needs kitties and lots of computers (her job requires she have one specifically for that reason).
So you can see our problem. We are WAY too far away to make a visit, and the timeline sucks as when we get there we have to live there. Is there any information you all can give me/us to help us move there? Should we just avoid it all together? Because of the winter weather should we wait till march?
I appreciate your input and candor on this, as I am at a loss.
FYI we have no family to help us and no dependable friends near the area. So there is nowhere to go if this doesn't work out.
I would suggest you get a motel room by the week while you check out apartments.
You'll have to learn to drive in some snow. Although the city of South Charleston cleans every street as soon as it snows, that is not the case anywhere else. Most cities clean the main streets quickly. Flat side streets sometimes have to wait until the snow melts. There are apartment buildings in South Charleston that are within 7 minutes of Town Center.
I haven't needed an apartment for many years, so I don't know much about what is available.
I apologize about the title of my post, but City-data wanted more description than just "moving to Charleston, WV.
Anyway, as described in the Title, me and my wife are moving in January to Charleston. Her job in Texas is closing down and one of the options she has is to move to Charleston. Specifically she will be working within a block of Charleston Town Center Mall.
We are an interracial couple (i am white, she is black) and we were raised in atlanta, although for the past 10 yrs we have been living in Texas. I have read through city-data and other websites that racism is very much alive in the area. My question is, is this true?
We would like to know what areas to look into moving to avoid such problems but at the same time be rather close to Town center mall due to the fact we have no idea how to drive in the snow Unfortunately we have some baggage. I have been unemployed for over 4 yrs so our credit is pretty much ruined. also we can only afford a place thats under $600 a month (for an apartment, which for some reason I cant find any online). We have two special needs kitties and lots of computers (her job requires she have one specifically for that reason).
So you can see our problem. We are WAY too far away to make a visit, and the timeline sucks as when we get there we have to live there. Is there any information you all can give me/us to help us move there? Should we just avoid it all together? Because of the winter weather should we wait till march?
I appreciate your input and candor on this, as I am at a loss.
FYI we have no family to help us and no dependable friends near the area. So there is nowhere to go if this doesn't work out.
I would suggest somewhere in Kanawha City or the East End. Most of those streets are plowed or atleast treated well before snow fall. Apartment hunting can be tricky within the city and area because most of housing is either single family, higher end, or lower end (if you catch my drift). Kanawha City has some good affordable apartments that I'd look into.
I also suggest getting a motel room for a few days on a trip. What I found useless was the Ad Bulletin which is available for about 50 cents at most gas stations and convenience stores. You can find very good deals out there. I pay $550 a month in Sissonville for a two bedroom townhouse. The Ad Bulletin has a lot of stuff below $600 a month of $650. If you google apartment complexes the ones that show up tend to be more expensive though not all. I think there are more vacancies in the summertime. But a Charleston WV apartments google search did turn up a few cheap options done by management companies. Do not be turned off by ads for trailers, as some of them can be quite nice. A double wide trailer can be bigger than some apartments, and it can be remodeled and be brand new inside.
I moved from Maryland in August and I'm also concerned about the snow though it seems Charleston-Huntington is the warmest part of West Virginia and snow really doesn't accumulate that much. The locals tell me winter is not too bad. They assume Baltimore has a bad winter because it is north of here, but Maryland is flat and on sea level except for the western part that borders on WV.
I am of Asian descent and do not think there are racial issues here. As in most places it is more of the ghetto culture that people have a problem with not black people in general. And speaking of the ghetto culture I would suggest avoiding the West End. Parts of it feel like Baltimore and that is the part of town that most crime happens in.
Last edited by Tom Lennox 70; 10-27-2013 at 03:45 PM..
I apologize about the title of my post, but City-data wanted more description than just "moving to Charleston, WV.
Anyway, as described in the Title, me and my wife are moving in January to Charleston. Her job in Texas is closing down and one of the options she has is to move to Charleston. Specifically she will be working within a block of Charleston Town Center Mall.
We are an interracial couple (i am white, she is black) and we were raised in atlanta, although for the past 10 yrs we have been living in Texas. I have read through city-data and other websites that racism is very much alive in the area. My question is, is this true?
For 95% of the people as long as you aren't caring how they live they don't care how you live.
Quote:
We would like to know what areas to look into moving to avoid such problems but at the same time be rather close to Town center mall due to the fact we have no idea how to drive in the snow Unfortunately we have some baggage. I have been unemployed for over 4 yrs so our credit is pretty much ruined. also we can only afford a place thats under $600 a month (for an apartment, which for some reason I cant find any online). We have two special needs kitties and lots of computers (her job requires she have one specifically for that reason).
So you can see our problem. We are WAY too far away to make a visit, and the timeline sucks as when we get there we have to live there. Is there any information you all can give me/us to help us move there? Should we just avoid it all together? Because of the winter weather should we wait till march?
It's not Alaska. Rarely will you have to drive on snow covered streets.
There are often crime/drug issues on the East End and personally, I would not live there. I agree with those above who have mentioned Kanawha City. (By the way, Kanawha City is a part of Charleston and not a separate city.) It would be fairly convenient to get to downtown and much of Kanawha City is flat. I also do not think the biracial issue will be an issue. I think you will like living in Charleston.
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Unfortunately we have some baggage. I have been unemployed for over 4 yrs so our credit is pretty much ruined. also we can only afford a place thats under $600 a month (for an apartment, which for some reason I cant find any online). We have two special needs kitties and lots of computers (her job requires she have one specifically for that reason). 
