<p>My newly divorced sister wants to move from CA to the Carolinas and buy a house on the coast. She is convinced that trading in her CA home, which has gone from $700K to several million, will get her a great house with money left over to start a small business.</p>
<p>We would appreciate any ideas on great costal towns where there are beautiful waterfront homes (she wants the boating life) and growth going on to support maybe a popular franchise. Florida could be an option, too.</p>
<p>I think that given the recent hurricane season, and gloomy prospects for the future, to move to the southeast coastal areas and build a house would be nuts.</p>
<p>The Carolina coast (or just about anywhere in No. Carolina) has always sounded good to me for retirement. Those Jan Karon books must have gotten to me here in snowing-today Minnesota.</p>
<p>A few million could buy her prime beachfront location, but depending on the area there might not be much left over for her business plans. She could certainly live in a coastal community, not beachfront, and have a nice nest egg.</p>
<p>I recommend Tybee Island off Savannah in Georgia. But keep in mind what iderochi says above, waterfront is not cheap anywhere, even in the south.</p>
<p>She should check out Wilmington, North Carolina.</p>
<p>"Beautiful and historic Wilmington is located between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, in the southeastern corner of North Carolina. In addition to being the county seat of New Hanover County, Wilmington also is the cultural, medical, educational and economic center for the region.</p>
<p>Because of its mild climate and relatively low cost of living, Wilmington also is becoming a popular destination for retirees who might once have considered Florida as the perfect place retire."</p>
<p>Is she a sailor? Annapolis and communities on the Maryland Eastern Shore might fit.</p>
<p>The Chesapeake - the East Coast version of the Puget Sound (but the Sound is better - we don’t have views of the Olympics and Mount Ranier).</p>
<p>Yep and the crabs are different…</p>
<p>The Sound is OK if you don’t mind freezing cold water and no beaches. Not to mention the cold gray wet winters and short summers.
The east coast ocean fronts are much more friendly to actually going in the water or enjoying a sandy beach.</p>
<p>Yes, it was a shocker to move from the east coast, where I’d gone to the Jersey Shore and Sandy Hook and Long Island, and even Maryland, beaches all my life, to the west coast (not far enough south, I guess), where we stand and look at the pretty waves on the pretty rocks on the miniature beach which is made of little rocks and not sand, without ever being able to actually get into the water unless we join the Polar Bear Club. Nowhere near as nice.</p>
<p>Wilmington is awesome, but I do think it’s been getting a bit built up as of late, as it’s becoming a popular area to move to. Three more small towns that might be worth checking out:</p>
<p>[Southport[/url</a>] is about 30-45 minutes south of Wilmington. It’s a really cool little historical town with a waterfront area with lots of boats and a cool downtown area with lots of antique/specialty shops which might be a favorable area in which to create a new business. It also has one of my favorite seafood restaurants in NC, besides the Sanitary Restaurant in Morehead City - the Yacht Basin Provision Company. It’s not directly “the beach” since it’s protected by islands and actually faces the Intercoastal Waterway, I think, but it’s easily within driving distance (15-20 min) of the beach on Oak Island. Bald Head Island is there too, and I think it’s beachfront too, but I can’t remember for sure without looking at a map.</p>
<p>There’s also [url=<a href=“http://www.morehead.com/]Morehead”>http://www.morehead.com/]Morehead</a> City](<a href=“http://www.southport-oakisland.com/]Southport[/url”>http://www.southport-oakisland.com/) - again, not directly beachfront as it’s on the sound, but within driving/boating distance of Atlantic Beach.</p>
<p>Finally, there’s [url=<a href=“NameBright - Coming Soon”>http://www.visitoriental.com/]Oriental[/url</a>], although as it’s basically a village and there’s not that much to do outside of town, it’s probably not really conducive to full time living but rather to a summer home. It’s located on the Neuse River, almost where the river opens up into the sound. As it’s about a halfway point on the East Coast for the Intercoastal Waterway, it’s largely considered the sailing capital of NC, and lots of sailors stop in there while cruising the coast. Boats actually outnumber people 3 to 1…but it’s still a really cool area. :)</p>
<p>In North Carolina…Duck,Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, Morehead City, Beaufort, Southport (where Dawson’s Creek was filmed),Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle,Holden Beach.</p>
<p>I would also add Kiawah Island which is near Charleston,SC and Hilton Head Island. You might also check out Beaufort, SC–a pretty little historic town (think “The Great Santini” was filmed there).</p>
<p>Friends of mine just retired to Calabash, which is just over the NC line from Myrtle Beach. They are raving about the house prices, weather, beauty, friendliness, etc. They are really happy there.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the really helpful responses.</p>
<p>I would love to retire on or near Hilton Head. Unfortunately it will probably be outside our affordability range. Oh well, there’s always Bluffton or Hardeeville maybe. Also considering the Columbia, SC area.</p>
<p>LOL Barrons. Yep, it’s all true about Puget Sound. But you’re likely to see more wildlife there if that’s an interest. I’ve always amazed to see a Harbor Seal and the occasional whale. But caveat emptor, waterfront prices in the GNW probably approximate the prices found in California. Western Washington is no longer working-class, old salty Scandinavian nautical enclave, not when it comes to land values.</p>
<p>As was said, most waterfront communities in America have been “re-valued” and that means prices are way up. With horror I read that actors like Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock have purchased Tybee Island and Savannah homes. There goes the neighborhood!</p>
<p>I checked out Wilmington NC last summer and was disappointed, both by the dreary weather and by how the cultural assets of the place had been exaggerated by the media. Pleasant but not enough so for a blue ribbon at the state fair.</p>
<p>Hillton Head is great but again, it is being invaded by overzealous realtors and overzealous buyers.</p>
<p>The Eastern Shore areas of Maryland fascinated me when I took a spur-of-the moment detour across the Chesapeak Bay Bridge on my return from a family affair further south. Southern living in the mid-Atlantic/northeast.</p>
<p>Does anyone know anything about Sarasota, Florida? I will be going with sister on a costal tour, advice for places to see, places to stay and places to eat would be very much appreciated.</p>
<p>Myrtle Beach is fabulous!!!</p>