An un-biased review
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1/8/2016
I have lived here for over a year now and I have mixed reviews to give on living here, so hopefully you can get some perspective on Myrtle Beach as a place to call home.
I am 31, male, with a fiance, no children. I moved here 18 months ago. My background is in sales, primarily mortgage banking. I did not move out here with a job. I worked for some pretty large companies in New England and Phoenix, came here to reconnect with an old girlfriend and change of scenery out of the desert.
I will agree with previous posters about the job market. It is a niche market, lots of service industry professionals and privately owned/family business here. There is no retail mortgage lending here, only local book of business operators here and that was going to work for me so after assessing the local business opportunities, I decided to get in to Timeshare sales for one of the largest resort companies in the US. I do well in my new career, being brand new I earned $85k in my first 12 months which goes a long way down here. With more seasoning, I will get over $100k with ease. Some of the veteran sales reps I work with pull in over $200k without a problem. This job is tough though, but I recommend it for anyone with serious sales abilities. You will need a little bank roll to keep you going to get in. It is 100% commission and takes 3-6 months to get steady pay rolling in and Jan-Feb is pretty much dead for business. But, I can see a great career for my self going very far and for anyone else that can sell!
On the other hand, my fiance, who is as beautiful and friendly as they come, can not find good paying work. She worked in retail cosmetics for years and was laid off almost 2 years ago yet to find similar work. Constant searching has yielded a part time clothing retail assistant manager position at $12 an hour. She does not want to work tending bar or waiting tables, which I'm sure she could pull in 500-1000 a week, but the hours are just not attractive to us.
The crime at 10/10??? I don't see it. We are all over the town, at night, during the day, locals spots, tourist attractions... just don't see it. And a previous poster mentioned drugs? Drugs are everywhere... please, spare us your DARE routine.
The best aspect about Myrtle Beach in my opinion, the housing. The bad neighborhoods, $500-$700 1-2 Bedroom to rent, the nice parts $700-$900, and upscale $1000+ - I live in a beautiful, 3 Bed, 3 bath single story home, 2300 sq ft for $1450/month rent. Price to buy this home would be $230ish. Its absolutely amazing.
So in conclusion, be prepared for seasonal business... it seems to affect everything going on here. Work is not easy to come by if your used to a big city with a lot of opportunity. But when you do find your career here, who could beat cheap living by 30 miles of beautiful beach... and as for getting mad at the tourists for coming here in droves?! They are bringing cold hard cash! And trust me, I try to get every dollar of it from them to buy in to my resort while they are here!
RyGuy | Myrtle Beach, SC