Both Summerville and Mount Pleasant are great areas with lots to offer (i.e. good school systems and great places to enjoy). Which area you will choose will possibly begin with the price range you are looking in for a home. Homes in the Mount Pleasant area are definitely in a higher range than those in the Summerville area due to its location. If you need more specific information regarding either area, It will be my pleasure to serve you in anyway possible.

There are excellent schools in both Mount Pleasant and Summerville. Your price range will help you determine which area is going to meet your needs the best. Summerville is known for being in the highly praised, Dorchester District 2 system.
Here is a link to school information where you will find an evaluation of all of the schools.

Http://Schools.HomesofSummerville.com

Hi Lisa. My name is Steve deGuzman and I am the Broker at http://www.rehava.com.

We are local area experts (I was born and raised here) and we give you back half the commission when you use us. There are NO catches or gimmicks. We always encourage you to see what our clients are saying by going here: http://www.rehava.com/testimonials

Search the entire MLS using this search tool: http://www.rehava.idxco.com/idx/3017/advancedSearch.php

I grew up in Charleston and moved to Summerville because of the schools. I have been very pleased with the elementary and middle schools in the Summerville area. Dorchester 2 district has great schools. Rollings Middle School of the Arts has received the Palmettos Finest Award for the past several years. You can take a look at their website http://www.dorchester.rms.schoolfusion.us/ . Let me know if I can help you with any of your relocation needs.

Do you know anything about "school report cards" for every school in the country? Just find out the counties names and look up EACH school's websites. You will find out alot about the schools in the areas and more than you ever thought you could. Just DON'T HAVE an idea you may be interested in. Find the schools and find their report cards and demographics.

Sometimes the county for each school has a main website to go to that lists pull down or side menus where you can check everything about them. They list school calendar dates for the year that pretty much stays close to the same starting and ending date. Some schools may be year round attendance similar to college, students wear uniforms only, charter or magnet schools, for some example. Start there.

Then go to a real estate web site to sign up for e-mail alerts for what you are "just looking" for in a home with the advanced options you add and MLS listings you want. Go on line to find out about South Carolina and also the areas around those places. You are interested in Dorchester or Berkeley Counties. They've had some teacher layoffs down near the coast due to the economy.

Go for a visit if you can during the PEAK season before school starts (August 10th-20th is school). Check out the traffic. Look at these areas of interest at night and on weekends to see what the neighborhood is like. Then go off PEAK season around November-February. Rates at the beach and further away in Summerville and Mt. Pleasant have lots of specials with free days right now. Mt. Pleasant is the beach area and quite busy with traffic during the weekends from March onwward. Comes May onward is a nightmare! But that's part of life.

If it was I, I'd RENT FIRST for a year. That gives you a time to learn if you are where you want to be.

I LOVE SOUTH CAROLINA! :0) PLEASE....EVERYONE LEARN TO SWIM!!! WE'VE HAD LOTS OF RIVER, POOL, AND OCEAN DROWNINGS THIS YEAR!!! LEARN HOW TO HANDLE OCEAN RIP CURRENTS!!! IT MAY SAVE YOU OR SOMEONE'S LIFE!!!

Contact a Realtor or 2 in the area you're interested in and they should be able to help you obtain the information you're looking for.
http://www.portlandareahomeinfo.com