Change isn't always good - 2/7/2020

Coming from Massachusetts and New York state, I loved the weather, beach and change of lifestyle. Being an outgoing friendly person I met some nice people here along the way over the years. However sadly this place keeps changing for the worse. It seems everyone that visits here decides they want to move here. And believe me I understand since I did the same thing many years ago. But it's at a point like other areas in the Carolinas that the infrastructure can't keep up with population growth. And the warm southern hospitality is gone. It seems many of the once warm welcoming locals feel the same. Myself having a Boston accent I notice people seem kind of annoyed when they notice I'm not from here. This wasn't the case a long time ago. They were welcoming, but seems they're sick of the influx of people moving here. Can't blame them honestly. I always have a smile and talk to everyone. It seems there's people that live here that are on edge or just clueless to what's going on around them. Just today alone I was beeped at for dropping of my elderly mother in front of Aldi as she was getting out. Wasn't stopped more than 10 seconds. An hour later some guy decides he wants my parking space at Kroger and sees my brake lights on and he's blocking me. Literally parked right behind me with his blinker on. I wait for him to move so I can back out and he doesn't. Then he starts honking at me and when he finally uses his brain to realize he's actually blocking me from backing out he moves. I back out and was going to say "its all yours".. and he guns it into the parking space giving me a look. Yesterday I had a truck swerve into my lane with no blinker and didn't even look once before or after. Would've side swiped me. Luckily I noticed him due to his loud muffler and braked in time. Saw him run over a curb 2 min later. It may seem like I'm complaining or have a bug about people here but ask anyone that lives here. Honestly coming from the north east for the majority of my life which is known for crazy driving, I've never seen such horrible, thoughtless, brainless driving anywhere else. And yes I'm from Boston and lived in Brooklyn for 9 years. If you don't believe me look up worst driving statistics online. Locals blame it on people from up north that moved here. I disagree whole heartedly. I feel so much better driving up north. Here it's like numbed out zombies behind the wheel. In their defense maybe they're just used to not alot of traffic to deal with and now there's alot. It seems Myrtle Beach is becoming a melting pot in a way. You meet people from all over the country that have moved hereI personally know people from 18 different states that live here. Many have moved here for a better life, some for retirement. I know locals here that get along with everyone, but they have this thing about people from Ohio for some reason. I do see alot of Ohio plates here. And a recent study done for states that hate other states showed most states hated the state next to them most, which makes sense. SC hated OH the most. I had to laugh. With internet nowadays, they come out with lists telling people Best Places to Live and everyone flocks there in droves(Cary, NC for example) and the once quaint great place to live is no longer . For Myrtle Beach I think people come here for vacation and get caught up in the glamour of vacation life and think that's how it'll be living here. Some love it here, some have found their next " paradise". It all depends on what you're looking for in a place to live. I wanted a coastal beach town with stuff to do, but not a city and not Florida summers or Northern winters. If you take all the tourist attractions out of the equation you are left with some nice parks, alot of restaurants , shopping and the beach. Most of the golf courses in which this area was known for are being torn down and replaced with cookie cutter homes for people moving here to "paradise". And I can't tell you how many houses I see sell, and a year later have a for sale sign on them already. Unfortunately crime just keeps getting worse here. This area has its issues with gangs, drugs, human trafficking, car theft rings, etc. I understand places everywhere do, but that's not the type of place I want to call home and some people don't realize until they move here. For me I've had enough of this place.

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Yes to The Carolinas But No to Myrtle - 1/4/2019

We were looking for a new city, and Myrtle Beach had had enough press that we were curious to check it out. A 30something and 40something couple, both of us have travelled extensively, both nationally and internationally. Our goal was to find warmer weather, a lovely historic home, an artsy and creative city where prices were still affordable. Myrtle absolutely delivered on the warmer weather and being near to the beach is an added bonus. There are extensive golfing opportunities and lots of outlet malls and chain restaurants. If you are considering retirement, this may well be a city that you would want to consider. The newer communities offer some great layouts and nice amenities. Although it is true that traffic increases seasonally, that’s still infinitely preferable to the year round gridlock of DC, NYC and LA- all places that we have lived. As a younger culturally minded couple who is considering starting a family, however, Myrtle just wan’t for us. We were searching for an historic neighborhood with walking distance to downtown- Wilmington NC (Where we landed! Yay!) has more than 300 blocks of historic homes. Downtown proper is fun and funky, the restaurants are locally owned and operated- cafes and coffee shops, vintage clothing stores... lots of dog parks, micro breweries. There is an undeniably artsy flair here, that we just didn’t find in Myrtle. There are plenty of golf courses, new developments, shopping amenities and big box stores, but the design of Wilmington is such that you have a choice- it isn’t entirely one way or the other. We love it. Bottom line- If you’re looking for affordable housing, great weather, inexpensive golfing and sprawling suburbia does not bother you, Myrtle offers that in spades. There is an abundance of chain restaurants and several beaches. If your preference is for a port city with incredible history, unique eats and a dog friendly town where porch parties are common, Wilmington is possibly the best kept secret on the East Coast. With direct flights to NYC and other areas, major cities are easily accessible. ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and ‘One Tree Hill’ were both filmed here, and with neighborhoods this beautiful it’s easy to understand why.

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Pro's and Con's of living in Myrtle Beach - 11/25/2018

If I could give 4.5 instead of 5 I would because Id like to see the traffic flow better with more red lights and see more money put in to landscaping the roadways and beautification projects. That's my honest opinion. I personally love living in Myrtle Beach and can not think of better place I would want to live. We considered North Carolina Beaches, and Florida as well. When making a move to another state it is important to have a contingency plan, 6 months of savings, and stable employment. I think some people don't plan accordingly and equate their problems to where they live and are always looking for a better opportunity. That being said, Myrtle Beach is a tourist town and we get about 14 million visitors a year. If you can't deal with the extra traffic during tourist season or the fact that seasonal shops close up for winter then you should rethink your decision to move to Myrtle Beach. Some have commented that the town is dirty. I disagree with that. Some of the ocean front hotels look weathered because it's hard to keep up with being directly on the ocean and sand gets blown up on the sidewalks. After moving to Myrtle Beach some of my problems are always having sand in my car, loads of laundry from beach towels, trying to decide if its a pool day or a beach day so I do both, bathing suites get faded fast, hair and skin gets dried out and you need need good moisture and having to keep our palm trees watered in the summer. I'd say these are much better problems then having salt in your car from frozen roads, coats, gloves, frozen pipes, high taxes, on and on! Others have commented there is a lot of traffic because the area is growing so quickly with all the new housing developments. I agree the traffic can be heavy during rush hour and there are plans in place to widen roads and build a few roads to help with this. However, I used to live on a peninsula in Virginia and we had bridge tunnels and military bases that let out at the same time. In my opinion, the traffic back home was no worse then it is here. If anything the traffic is better here. If you have stable income and are loking for a great warm weather beach town to live in then I highly reccomend Myrtle Beach. Not just because I'm an agent here but because my husband and I could have lived anywhere we wanted (he works from home) and we chose Myrtle Beach. We landed in Myrtle Beach solely by accident when an awesome priced house popped up on Zillow. I couldn't believe how affordable the housing market was here. I do have my favorite neighborhoods that I can reccomend if you are interested in moving here. I'm also happy to answer any questions you have about the area. Please email me at myrtlebeachhouses@gmail.com or text/call 843-999–2843. Melissa Gardner with Plantation Realty Group, LLC

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Police/Gastapo - 7/27/2018

Dropped off my wife and daughter to get an ice cream and 1230 am That’s right after midnight. Drove around the block to go back and get them stopped to pick the. You p behind a van with a group of people cop drives up on his motorcycle and tells me to move. My wife and daughter were getting in the vehicle he says move. I said ok their doors are open. He proceeds to write me a ticket for 128 dollars. That’s good for the tourist industry. Great job

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Myrtle Beach Sucks (If you live here) - 2/18/2018

I lived here about 10 years and I am about over it. I strongly suggest you NOT move here, especially if you are a single gay man like me. For starters, there is zero culture here. Absolutely none. Trying to find anything to do culturally related outside of going to bars is "fruitless". You will find it is very very lonely here as a gay man. Most of any of the gay men here are already taken, or not worth your time talking to. The population is going up drastically here year after year. That means an increase of traffic. It also means an increase of accidents, and this place has plenty of those! My insurance has gone up year after year because of it. My insurance costs more here than it did living in an even more highly populated area. The wages here are ridiculously low. And don't let the "cost of living" facade fool you. Yes the cost of living here is lower than some other areas in the north, but the wages here don't come close to make up for that lower amount. You will struggle with bills unless you have 2 jobs or have a double income from a spouse or significant other. Also its great for retirees on a guarenteed income too. The crime here is most likely worse than wherever you came from. Just google Myrtle Beach crime. I don't have to say anything other than that. Live here a few years and the constant sirens from police ambulance and firetrucks will prove my point. Myrtle Beach has become way over commercialized. There is no individuality here. Everything is corporatized and taken over with god awful buildings and uninteresting architecture. Oh wait, we have the upside down house and the sky wheel. :eye roll:. So if you are planning to visit Myrtle Beach, please be my guest, but I STRONGLY suggest you leave just as quickly as you came. This is NOT a place you want to move to. Especially if you are a gay working person.

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wonderful place - 10/28/2017

love the variety of restaurants and entertainment the beach offers great place to go to hang out with friends or family. joey cleanhousecleaning.com

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Terrible Place to Live - 8/16/2017

I have lived in Myrtle Beach for 20 years (since I was 4). I know all of the ins and outs. I know what it is like to be a child here, a teen here, and now an adult. And there are a few things I can tell you: If you are planning on raising kids here, ESPECIALLY teens, please quickly reconsider. All of the high schools are riddled with drug issues/overdose deaths, STDS and teen pregnancy. There are very few teens that are actually able to focus on school and stay on the right path. It is not an easy thing to do, here. There are SO MANY drugs in this city. If you have a lot of money and can afford to live in either Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, or Pawley's Island, then you are in great shape. Those are all great alternative, but they are only affordable to those with a substantial amount of money. (I'm talking at least 400k for a house). If you do not have copious amounts of money, you can find very affordable housing everywhere else, in Myrtle Beach, Socastee, Surfside, North Myrtle Beach, etc. You can get a great 3 or 4 bedroom house for around $200-$250k, BUT these other areas have a lot of crime problems, so beware (and it's not just the tourists). There is also human trafficking problems in the area, do not let your young daughters go wandering around at night, especially alone. The summers are so humid, you step outside and feel like you are in a swimming pool. If you do not mind that, then great. It is warm almost all year, with January and February being the coldest months, but it rarely ever snows. Only 3 times in my 20 years here did it snow more than 1/2 inch. So I guess that is a good aspect of the area. There are nice beaches down toward Surfside and Murrells Inlet, try to avoid Myrtle Beach shores, they are crowded with rowdy tourists, especially May through September. There is no kind of culture here, kind of boring I guess you could say. Not much diversity. It is mostly Rednecks and also transplants from the Northeast. It's a weird combination. But the city is very commercial, almost ever restaurant you see is just another chain restaurant. There are some nice seafood restaurants at the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet, that is a very nice little stretch. Market Common is a trending little part of town, it's nice and clean, but there are a limited amount of stores and activities there. I wish they would add more, but all they are doing is adding more single family homes, which is somewhat aggravating. Oh yea, and there are at least 50,000 people a year that are moving to the area and we only have 2 roads running north/south and 2 road running east/west, so that will eventually mean terrible terrible traffic (we already experience pretty bad traffic during the summer because of tourists). All in all, I would never raise my kids here and I am trying to get out of here soon before I have any. I made it through this wilderness by keeping my head down, keeping in line at school, and spending more time down towards the Inlet than up towards the city of Myrtle Beach. Sorry for talking so much, but I just wanted to cover everything.

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Great, but attracts rednecks from the Midwest - 6/7/2017

It's a great vacation destination considering it's drivable from the Midwest and cheap. The water temperature is warm, and the weather is pretty good for as far north as it is. Has really good outlet shopping. Most of the locals are pretty nice; the few I've encountered that aren't are generally transplants (i.e. Owners of Seablue Restaurant, who are really from Philadelphia and harassed me relentlessly over a negative online review.....this is one place to avoid). The only real negative is because it is cheap and drivable you get a lot of hillbillies from Ohio and Indiana. Indeed, Ohio and Indiana are where the hillbillies are, not always the south. They stick out like a sore thumb because they are so poorly dressed and uncouth. We were even told at one restaurant that we fooled them into thinking we were locals because we didn't look like the rest of the pack.

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Not for some. - 4/1/2017

I think the city itself is fine, we didn't find a high amount of crime, druggies, etc. The area is just not affordable enough for my husband and me, who are retired but not wealthy. During the off season it is especially nice, as prices go down and there are alot less people. This area thrives on tourists, the economy is largely based off of it. I would recommend this place to those independently well off, or retirees who have high income- those who are well off financially will do better here because if you want work here you need to remember tourist city, some businesses close all together in the off season so there are less jobs and the jobs that are available are primarily service oriented to cater to tourists.

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I'm ready to get out. - 1/16/2017

I moved here back in 2009 after my mom convinced me that this is a "great place to live". When I came down 8 years a go, it was a lot more bearable to live here. Since then, crime has skyrocketed, population has skyrocketed, and the cost of living has drastically risen while pay is stagnant and hasn't gone up in probably 2 decades or more. There is ZERO culture in this city. Im sure its partly due to the fact that this area is less than 100 year old, and no one stays long enough to create any sort of culture here. Since I moved here, I think the population has DOUBLED, and it has a growth of at least 100,000 people moving in per YEAR. The roadways here cannot keep up with the demand of all the traffic, and any sort of roadwork done around here takes at least 5 years to complete. If you enjoy plain uninteresting corporatized commercialized buildings and corporations, this place is for you. That is another reason why there is no culture here. There is nothing here that "stands out". Everything is based on the almighty dollar and how much money they can soak out of everyone. The days of the mom and pop places are gone here. Everything is owned by shareholders who have probably never even been to Myrtle Beach in their lives. The pay here is awful. If you really plan on moving here, plan on at least making HALF of what you make anywhere else. Yes, people will tell you "oh but the cost of living here is so much cheaper" Yeah that may have been true 5 years a go, but look at the average cost of renting a condo or anything anywhere other than the ghetto. You are paying almost what you pay anywhere else. The cost of living is going up year after year while pay and income stays the same. The crime here, well I really dont have to say anything, just look at the number one most crime ridden city. Myrtle Beach is number one. Theres a lot of desperate low lifes and transients that move here for whatever reason. Overall, I just hate it here anymore There is no positive to living here any more. The number 2 things to do here are to go to the beach, or drink. Because there are bars on almost every street. I plan on moving out of here within the next year or 2.

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An un-biased review - 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!

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Myrtle Beach, SC - 10/28/2015

Why do you have information about Michigan under Myrtle Beach, SC? The qualify of life is much different! Obviously you do not like SC. However, I have friends who are "educated", and "cultured" who moved there recently and love it far and above FL where they lived before moving to VA 15 years prior to the SC move. They are in their 60's. In 1981, I moved to Florida, left in 2000, lived in VA and WA, and returned last year after a 14 year absence. Much has changed, and some has not. The cost of living continues to rise as does crime in Tampa-Bay. I still like Florida, maybe not enough to stay, though. We'll see.

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Retiring in Myrtle Beach - 12/14/2014

I agree with Jim. Now that there are over 250,000 residents with another 200,000 predicted in the next 2-4 years goodbye golf courses hello to big city traffic. Don't get sick here because there will never be enough doctors here to take care of you. Because of the level of education here you won't lure any young medical professionals with children to the area. Lastly the fighting between business people and the retired will never end. Remember the way Myrtle beach alienated the bikers. Leaving soon for good and can't wait!!

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Golf - 3/26/2014

Myrtle beach is the golf mecca of the world. So many wonderful and challenging courses you could play a different course every week for at least (2) years. Besides golf there are many Theaters that have big name entertainers and varity shows to keep you entertained in the evening.

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The Absolute Truth - 2/12/2013

About Myrtle Beach is it depends on the type of person you are. If you are retired, have plenty of money to spend on a home or condo, and you don't have to work, this place is perfect for you. However, don't move here if you are a young professional trying to make your way to the top. The county/city jobs are left for those "that know someone" and go by the "good ole boy" system. There are mostly just entertainment business jobs locally - in which your hours are cut extremely in the fall and winter months. There's a terrible amount of drugs, crime, etc here. And this is coming from someone that was born and raised in Conway, SC. I have lived here my entire life, and I'm trapped here. There isn't one day that goes by that I don't wish that I could leave. I'm bound because my husband has a son that lives here and my parents own land out in Conway, and I'd never leave them. I'm their only child and will remain here to care for them. My career has not advanced, despite my efforts. The work and the money is just not there. I deal with some of the most incredibly ridiculous people I've ever met in my life. Even in the Winter months, it's a complete rat race. The taxes are over-priced, you can't enjoy the beach as they are over-crowded and employees are treated like "servants" here. Most people can't afford rent, are on some kind of welfare from the government and don't really try to find jobs - even if they had one perfectly good one right in front of them. Contractors in the area are lazy, try getting one to come out to your house to fix something - and if they do, they make off with your money, and you never see them again. It's just a low class place to live, if you ask me. If you aren't rich, can't stay in one very small section of town that's for the "rich" and you try to live a nice middle-class life, work hard and want to have something for your children, retirement and be able to afford basic every day living - do NOT move here. I work in the apartment industry and talk to folks almost every single day that are looking to re-locate for a better life. Think again. This is my home-town and I'm supposed to love it here and have great pride and respect. However, I do not. There are strip clubs and bars on every single corner and the city of Myrtle Beach drains the pockets of the tourists in taxes and nothing goes back to the place at all. There is no real "inner city", no where to enjoy any kind of culture - and most people are drunken washed up drug addicts that live pay check to pay check in order to purchase weed. Seriously not a place I'd want to live forever, raise children, or expect to earn a decent living!

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PLANTATION POINT - 11/9/2012

Whatever you do do not buy a house in this development. To put it short and sweet a helicopter business opened up next door, and right next to that is a sewerage plant which smells real bad and I was told when the wind blows towards the development it smells real bad and especilly when it get hot the smell hangs in the area. I drove to it which is one street over and the smell was like I just took a dump in the toilet.

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Great beach! - 6/22/2012

The beach is great here and home prices are low.

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MYRTLE BEACH SC - 5/30/2012

Myrtle Beach is an EXCELLENT vacation spot. Plenty to do like golfing, mini golfing, swimming in the ocean, arcades, museums, amusement parks, water parks. Definately go check out Myrtle Beach.

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Very laid back - 10/1/2011

Very laid back town. Mostly tourists and retirees. No true city center or culture. Nice beaches. Low cost of living.

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10 on Crime? - 10/29/2010

A 10/10 in crime? I grew up in Indianapolis and there was something going on daily with crime. I also have lived in Naples, FL and Holly Springs, NC. Since living here, I have experienced, nor seen, any excessive crime that would make it worse to live here than any other city. We can't stay home and are always out and about. Sure there is crime here, being it's the lowest paid 'big' county in the nation. But there are spots, that for someone with intelligence, could plainly see to avoid. It's still overall, with kids, the best place we've lived. Wow, something different to do everyday.

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