That sounds like such a pleasant place to visit and the planting of the trees sounds like such a nice family tradition.

I think you should get your Realtors license there.  You can advertise and make a trip down there when someone wants to buy and visit your parents at the same time.

What are prices like in the area?  It sounds nice.

Hi Lisa,

My mom and Dad brought one home at auction for $45,000 which is really nice, brick and oak construction, a little less than 1.5 acres. My cousin paid $25,000 for a three bedroom frame.  My brother is in a 1945 frame home for $55,000.  My Godmother  purchased  a wonderful two story frame on 3.9 acres for $57,000.  New  construction runs from $125,000 to  $400,000. It is such a great place to get a decent home. Greeleyville is close to Manning, Kingstree, Andrews and about 1.5 hours from Myrtle Beach.

Carol, what a neat thing for you and Noah to do together. As he grows, so do the trees, and Mom & Dad can watch over all of you.

Thank you Duane. It really is so much fun going through the entire process. I love when we research picking out the trees. Visiting the nursery is great! So many textures, colors and smells to choose from. The idea of eventually being able to picnic under a variety of flowing fruit trees is very appealing to us, as is the ability to pick, wash and eat fresh fruit right from the trees. My Dad has a beautiful garden with a huge grape vine as well as peach, fig and apple trees. My parents make their own jam. It's really cool to see them so happy trading creations with the neighbors. They can't possibly eat it all, so they give food away, which usually results in pies being delivered as well as preserves and interesting deserts.

It is a well kept secret.  I have never heard of it!

I go through Greeleyville all the time on my way from my second house on Lake Marion to Myrtle Beach.  It is a beautiful area but definitely go the speed limit in town!!! LOL  The tree idea is great.  Enjoy.

Hi Melody,

A well kept secret indeed! They don't have a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast. They didn't think about building one either until a federal prison was recently built about a five minutes drive away in Salters, SC. My parents say people are literally knocking on doors asking if there is a room for rent or a place their family members can stay because a worker is relocating as a transfer in. They used to keep a three bedroom trailer available for our friends and family to vacation in, but lately out of towners have been "visiting" while hunting for housing. No one in a million years imagined there could ever be a "housing crisis" in Greeleyville. The town is 1.5 by 1.5 miles and is surrounded by farmland, which is why it can't expand. We have property in and directly outside of town. Everyone knows everyone else so we usually receive third party referrals from other townsfolk who know that my family and a few other owners have spare rooms. My family is considering maybe looking into constructing a bed and breakfast on the opposite end of my Mom and Dad's lot inside the town limits. It's a corner property and runs adjacent to three streets on the front, side and rear. Nothing elaborate, just a nice Victorian or center hall Colonial with some comfortable rooms. 

It's still a sleepy little town, but that is slowly starting to change. At the crossroads, a doctor invested in some farm land, subdivided it and started building homes on the lots. I had my sister fax me over the subdivision to see what she was up to and was happy to find out the good doctor was building affordablehousing which would bring another 20 - 30 families into the neighborhood. HB Homes recently opened a branch in Sumpter to work with Martha Stuart promoting signature homes for a few new planned unit developments.

There are more golf courses going up and a host of hotel chains populating Manning off of I-95 (with more new construction to follow). If there is one thing I've definitely learned in real estate it is to follow Starbuck's stores coming soon announcements to see where the baby boomers are spending their money and retiring to. That organization spends a tremendous amount of money on researching demographics. Ever read an "Urban Coffee Opportunity" package? Interesting stuff... They will not open a franchise unless the $3.00 L crowd is there to demand and sustain sales and since Greeleyville is in the Hwy 501, 521, 261, 52, 377 travel vicinity, it is a great investment to make because Starbucks is making its way down Hwy 501 in Myrtle Beach heading in their direction...   

Hi Paddy,

Thank you for posting. I know exactly what you mean about the speed limit as well. They are quite serious about issuing those tickets. My parents are always warning us to behave and not "drive like you are from NY" because their guests have contributed to the town's budget (LOL).

We've put some asphalt gravel down during my last visit. When we go down again in August I hope to finish graveling the drive accessing the fields all the way back to the tree line. We hope to pick out some solar lights to create a park like setting and to highlight some of the fruit and shade trees as a focal point for the different play areas. In one area my family has four plots adjacent to each other: 2 acres, 2 acres, 1.5 and 3.3 acres. We're hoping if our kids and grand kids are involved with the use, planning and development, they will love Greeleyville as much as the adults do and will continue to share and take care of the land for generations to come.  

Carol, to cool on the pies. Makes the trips more exciting not knowing what Mom may have created for you.

Wow, you have been busy with the gravel as well.

Have a great day in The Rain,

Duane

Carol - My goodness - think of the commissions from the seven family members alone! That would go a long way toward funding Noah's college education. I bet you can take the training, and perhaps even the test, online. Get your license sweetie!!!! I am licensed in three states and it certainly pays off.

Thank you Duane.

Hi Robin: Thank you for the encouragement. Unlike Florida, which lets you be a non-resident licensee and take the training online, SC forces you to sit in an actual classroom and have an actual SC location to operate from. We recently put down two water meters on the front 2 acres in anticipation of activating an address I can use for business and establish residency for a future R.E. license. I'm excited about possibly making a difference in the area and being able to help more family and friends relocate there. I believe in 5 years there will be a tremendous growth in the county. There are amazing land deals still to be hand from the current FSBOs. They're happy to hold a mortgage for buyers as well. Owner financing opens the door for people with less than perfect credit to start rebuilding by obtaining a piece of land and having that land be used as down payment to a builder for a starter home. It also doesn't show up on a person's TRW if they pay a little late. The people are nice and they'll extend a grace period to work with purchasers. I just recently met a retired NYS correction officer who is currently paying off a nice property right next to my Dad.