I am very seriously considering relocating to Myrtle Beach, SC- I have a job already lined up (at my current company), so that’s not an issue. I’m wondering about places to live (in and around Grandstrand Hospital) and any info that might be helpful to me. My husband is a musician, so he’ll be happy to have more opportunity to work at different places. We have 3 dogs (2 big, 1 small) and we would be renting for sure (hopefully a house). Any thoughts on cost of living, rental units/costs, etc? I live in NC now, so the whole culture shock/massive heat deal is already over with, I hope.
We lived in Surfside Beach for 7 years. Surfside is a couple miles south of Myrtle Beach proper and, in my opinion, is the way to go. That way, you’d miss a lot of the really annoying tourist stuff that goes on during the summer. Surfside is more of a family vacation place, as opposed to the spring breaker/party crowd that is drawn to Myrtle Beach. If you lived in Surfside, you’d have an approximately 15 minute commute to the hospital. Is that where your job is? Or do you have another reason for being close to the hospital?
I have to say that when we were there, I didn’t consider it the most fabulous place to live. Now that we’re gone, though, we’re seriously considering moving back. The housing prices are fantastic and the area is growing in leaps in bounds, so that stuff that wasn’t available when we moved there is becoming available. For instance, a huge new mall opened up a couple months before we left. It’s supposedly the largest mall in South Carolina. Other nice things about the area are that you’re close to the beach (obviously), there are some good hospitals there (retirement community - they have a large client base), cheap housing, proximity to cool places to take a weekend away (Charleston, Asheville), and an airport. Plus, if you golf, you’ll be in heaven.
As far as rent goes, we lived about two blocks from the beach in a two bedroom, two bath apartment with a washer and dryer. We had a huge deck, water was included, and we have a dog. We paid $675/month.
Shoot me an email if you have specific questions. My husband is a physical therapist, so if you’re in the health professions, I could probably give you a lot of information about that in the area. I can also give you some ideas for rental units that will allow dogs - more than you might think. A ton of people have dogs in the area and there is even a really good dog park on the now closed Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.
I’m at your service! (plus, if we do move back, I’d love to meet you!)
Hey C3- thanks for the info! I am about 99% sure on the move, and I am familiar with Surfside- I stayed there a few weeks ago on vacation, in fact (on 15th ave at a rental house) right off 17 business.
My job is at the hospital (Grand Strand) and is already secured (I expect my offer by the end of the week, anyway).
Holy crap, is it still for rent??? That’s about just what I’m after.
I’ll drop you an e-mail next week with some specific questions after I know better when I’ll be going. I’m very excited- I’m moving from NW of Charlotte, NC and there’s about nothing here at all. My husband is a full time musician, so he’s excited about the music scene.
That’s about just what I’m after.
