The Carolinas - Looking for a new home

Hello all,

My wife and I have decided we've had enough snow (her mostly) and want to live somewhere a little warmer on the Atlantic coast. Another important reason for the Atlantic coast is to blue water fish (me :Q) so we are starting the search for a new home. She has spent some time in the Charleston/Savanna/Hilton Head area which she really likes. I however have never spent any time on the coast south of Martha's Vineyard where I spent a few summers as a kid at my Aunts place there.

We both really don't want to live in Florida, so we're looking from Norfolk to Savanna basically. We're not rich so living right on the ocean probably isn't going to happen, but we'd like quick access to the ocean in a decent neighborhood. I'd like to be in the best area possible for fishing and still be able to afford to live there.

I understand that no one can just wave a magic wand and present the perfect place for us, just looking for some places to check out. We intend to take a few scouting trips so any help would be greatly appreciated.

In before the first "damn yankee" remark. :)

Seriously, come on down. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd move to the coast right now (we're about 3 hours inland). We visit Holden Beach a lot-- If you're into quiet lifestyle, Holden, Sunset or something like that is great. If you need more action, look at Wilmington or Morehead City. Fishing is good out of all of these places, and the people are nice.

Will you be looking for jobs down here or retiring? Job market isn't great right now, but that's anywhere.

I've only visited, but when I retire I'll be looking around Southport.
Direct ocean access and not too 'hick'.
Sorry guys but I HAD to say it! :thumbsup:

In before the first "damn yankee" remark. :)

Seriously, come on down. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd move to the coast right now (we're about 3 hours inland). We visit Holden Beach a lot-- If you're into quiet lifestyle, Holden, Sunset or something like that is great. If you need more action, look at Wilmington or Morehead City. Fishing is good out of all of these places, and the people are nice.

Will you be looking for jobs down here or retiring? Job market isn't great right now, but that's anywhere.

I too was wondering how long it would take to get the first yankee salvo fired at me! :grin:
It's all good, I have lots of southern friends that seem to tolerate me ;) We currently live in a log house on 15 acres, so rural/quiet is more our speed. My wife is a nursing administrator/educator and I'm an O/O trucker. I can live anywhere with my job, we are checking on her situation.

Thanks for the reply :thumbsup:

If rural is your speed, check out Edisto Island in SC. Dad retired there. Google the ACE basin- where three rivers, Ashley, Cooper, and Edisto merge at the ocean. Great fishing, shrimping, crabbing, etc. where I hope to be one day. I visit my dad as often as possible.

I too was wondering how long it would take to get the first yankee salvo fired at me! :grin:
It's all good, I have lots of southern friends that seem to tolerate me ;) We currently live in a log house on 15 acres, so rural/quiet is more our speed. My wife is a nursing administrator/educator and I'm an O/O trucker. I can live anywhere with my job, we are checking on her situation.

Thanks for the reply :thumbsup:
Trucker here to. Car hauler.
Its a 74 mile pull from where I live to OI or the ramps in VA. Little Further to Hatteras but not to bad. Fish both so living where I live is nice and waterfront around here is very cheep. You can get on the water for under 200. With her job she would easy land something in the area and your close enough to the bigger Norfolk, Chesapeake and Va beach to make a night of it if you enjoy that type of lifestyle.
You could also look around the Grandy area over by the beach or just this side of the island where you would be closer to the Va . Shorter drive to both.
Southport is real close to Tabor (Razor) City. Have to watch those Razor City folks down there. Try and stay east of I-17 is a safe distance from those people. :grin:

Come on down. We have a place in Beaufort SC and I'm moving back in 2 years. Great folks, good restaurants and beautiful wildlife and coastal scenes. The only negative is "Blue water" fishing. Plan on a 55-65 mile run to the stream, but we have plenty of inshore and nearshore year'round.

Keefus
Lowcountry Native
27xs Onlsow Bay
300 Vrods

I've only visited, but when I retire I'll be looking around Southport.
Direct ocean access and not too 'hick'.
Sorry guys but I HAD to say it! :thumbsup:

No problem 'Carpetbagger'.

Sorry, just had to say it :grin:

If rural is your speed, check out Edisto Island in SC. Dad retired there. Google the ACE basin- where three rivers, Ashley, Cooper, and Edisto merge at the ocean. Great fishing, shrimping, crabbing, etc. where I hope to be one day. I visit my dad as often as possible.


Just to be clear - Ace Basin is between Beaufort and Edisto.
It is the confluence of the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers.

http://www.acebasin.net/history.html

Google Ace Basin and you can see what its all about.

In before the first "damn yankee" remark. :)

Seriously, come on down. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd move to the coast right now (we're about 3 hours inland). We visit Holden Beach a lot-- If you're into quiet lifestyle, Holden, Sunset or something like that is great. If you need more action, look at Wilmington or Morehead City. Fishing is good out of all of these places, and the people are nice.

Will you be looking for jobs down here or retiring? Job market isn't great right now, but that's anywhere.

+1 on the Holden suggestion, my father relocated there from the Murrels Inlet/Myrtle Beach area a few years ago, he wanted to live somewhere more quiet but still be on the water. I looked into relocating up there a year or so ago and absolutely knew living on the island was out of my financial comfort zone. So I was looking on the mainland side of the bridge in Supply. Minutes away from the island and a huge deal cheaper, some really nice subdivisions. Oyster Harbor in Supply has a private boat ramp, boat storage, its a beautiful sub division walking distance from the water. http://www.oyster-harbour-holden-beach.com/

Given your wife's occupation you'll be better off near a larger city with a decent hospital. Greenville NC (not on the coast) has a great teaching hospital East Carolina University. We are a major metropolitan area here in SE VA, Wilimington, Charleston, also have medical universities.

Fact of the matter is just about any place will be what you make out of it.

Beaufort nc

Murrells Inlet, SC. Just take a ride down here one time and you will not want to go back home!

Lot of good locations already listed. We are considering St. Mary's Georgia. Lot of inshore fishing and offshore is close by. Can't go wrong from Morehead city NC to South Port.NC, and then Savannah to St. Mary's.

Ok I'm outta my area but honestly somewhere like Suffolk va or Norfolk is great for truckers and medical fields and you have the bay and blue water and it's nice but granted traffic can be bad in Norfolk due to navy base but that also can be big money for hauling for them and their hospital. Just my two cents. Where ever you decide you will like lived everywhere from nh to sc va is home right now.

Might want to consider the different state income tax rates in the equation. Not sure what SC and GA are but they are lower than NC's 7.75% state income tax by at least 2 or 3% or more.

In NC the Oregon Inlet and Hatteras areas are closer to the gulf stream and genrally the best offshore fishing but very little in the way of population of things to do. Its a ways from everything which may suit you.

Midway down the NC coast is the Morehead City/Atlantic Beach/Beaufort area. Not quite as close to the gulf stream but still closer than the other areas and a lot closer to "civilization". Cost of living goes up too.

Lower on the NC coast is Wilmington/Southport area. Wilmington is a fair sized city maybe 120,000+ or thereabouts with lots to do and plenty of traffic. Cost of living is higher yet. Pretty good hike to the gulf stream ~60miles. Southport is a sleepy little retirement town with 2 good hospitals (your wife is a nurse, right?), one is in SP and one in Supply. They roll up the sidewalks pretty early. It has a great inlet/major shipping channel. Long way to the gulf stream but lots of good fishing.

There is a lot of coast line between SP and Little River, SC (Myrtle Beach) with decent fishing but less so than the previous areas. You've got Holden Beach which has been mentioned, Ocean Isle Beach then Little River, SC. Little River has an excellent Inlet but it is a long haul to the gulf stream ~60-70miles and fishing essentially a lot of the same areas as Southport but also further south as well. Little River-Myrtle Beach has a lot to do (its 2nd largest destination location behind Disney World in USA) but traffic during holidays and "Biker" weekends is unreal. A little further south is Murrells Inlet which has some fantastic fishing and great restaurants and atmoshphere. I really like it and would live there if I my job allowed.

Next stop south is Georgetown, SC. Excellent fishing but I wouldn't live there. You might like it.

Can't really say a whole lot about fishing further south except that there are some awesome fishing opportunities in the Charleston, SC area. Tons of history and lots of cool things to see and do but it is expensive to live. I'd check out Mt Pleasant as a place to live. Plan on private school if you have kids.

Others have mentioned Edisto area. I don't know anything about it.

Then there's Beaufort, SC. Seems like a nice area but don't know much about it other than there is some awesome inshore fishing.

Gerogia coast ---> Long, long way to gulf stream.

Hope that helps a little. Only way to know what is right for you is to take several extended trips and find out more about the area. That's how the wife and I found Fernandina Beach, FL where we plan to retire. It's just across the river from St Mary's, Georgia and has a lot more to do. Our lot is in the historic area 4 blocks from the marina.

Hal

Thank you all for a bunch of great pm's and posts. I really appreciate the help and we now have a number of places to check out. :tht_rulez:

Kinda torn on what direction to go boat wise as 50+ mile stream runs will require a certain kind of offshore boat that I've never owned. I hear the Yellowfins are nice....

I'm going to assume that a lot will depend on where you wife decides to work. Many fine institutions for her along the coast.

In the meantime, Y'all need to spend some time in various places and charter some different boats. Some people want and can afford a 55' Jarrett Bay while others fish the stream in a 33' World Cat or a Grady White. I used to fish up to a 100 miles offshore and now prefer the backwater bays and marshes.

Usually, your choice(s) from far away, change when you get here. Good luck in your search.

We own a place at Atlantic Beach, NC which is near Morehead City. We've lived in Wilmington, Kure Beach, Savannah and Fort Lauderdale. The place we love most is just south of Savannah in Richmond Hill, GA. We go a few times a year and have a great time taking the boat out to St Catherines and Ossabaw Islands. That's where we hope to retire in a few more years. Best of luck!