Clover. South Carolina.
Davina
22 Comments
new. home.
So there it is....we are moving to Clover, South Carolina. It's a little town in the Charlotte, North Carolina metro area. So...that means that Ingrid (email me as soon as possible!) was the first to guess the closest to where we are moving. She wins a $100 IKEA gift certificate!!
THIS IS OUR HOUSE.
Yes...this really is our house. We're moving to a piece of dirt. It's so strange the life works, the way it moves, and the way it does something that is completely unexpected. As many of you know, because you've been following our home search, we looked at a lot of homes. You voted and gave us wonderful thoughts, advice, suggestions and so much more. We appreciate it immensely!
I went out to North Carolina pretty convinced that we would, by a miracle of some kind, be able to find my dream house (the 100 year old renovated home in a great neighborhood with fabulous schools). Every old home we looked at was in a delapidated neighborhood with schools that were even worse. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed to walk away from those homes. I also knew that I didn't want my kids to go to schools that were ranking 1 and 2 out of 10 on test scores. It was a difficult decision but one I knew I had to make for the future of my kids' education.
That decision left us with 5 homes...one of them was my absolute fave but was way too far out of our price range. It goes without saying that the seller couldn't meet what we were able to pay. Of the other two homes one went under contract the day before we decided that it was on our finals list and the third home was going to have a freeway built next to it. Huge bummer. I was feeling pretty discouraged at that point knowing we had less than 48 hours left to figure this house thing out. We only had two homes left on our list. We knew that one of them could work and the other one we had remembered was too small. Neither of them felt like THE home when we had walked into them. We were hoping on a second walk through one of them would feel like the one.
I went out to North Carolina really believing that I would walk into a home and would just love the one that we needed to move into. I'd hoped I would feel really good about at a home and all other homes would pale in comparison. Was that too much to ask?
At that point on Saturday morning I hadn't felt really good about a house except about the home that was beyond what would could afford. We went to the leftover two houses on our list. I went into the first house and we talked and talked as we walked through it. We discussed every detail of how we could fit into this home. It was beautiful and open and I was almost talked into it...until we walked out in to the back yard. Then I didn't like the house. The yard was close to other neighbors and didn't have one single mature tree in the yard, no fence, no porch...nothing. I also had it in my mind that I was moving from Utah where I couldn't get hardly any trees to grow in my yard to a yard that would have an enormous amount of gorgeous trees. Big strike against that house.
We drove down the lane to a brand new house. We walked around the lot and it was gorgeous! There was a grove of trees behind the house the led into a green space area (we don't have those in Utah...they are places that they zone for leaving green and undeveloped...ever). We LOVED the lot. Although this had happened a number of times. We would find a gorgeous lot only to walk into the house and have it be way too small or way too trashed. Or vice versa...a gorgeous home on a lame lot.
We held our breath as we went into the brand new home. It was beautiful and the details were so nice! It wasn't big enough! Huge bummer. We went back outside and walked around, saw that the other lot was for sale and hoped it had the same builder. We looked at one last home that our amazing realtor set up for us (she was quite the patient person taking us around on a whirlwind tour of homes in the area...Nicolette Wiggham.) As we sat in the sunroom of the next home totally disappointed that yet again it was a house that was not big enough for our family we finally smiled. We had just spoken with the builder of the brand new house. He had said that he was planning to build on the other lot, didn't have a buyer for the property, and was just starting the plans. We were so excited. He had answered a lot of our questions. We talked about the possibiliites and finally felt like we had found THE house...we just never walked through it. We are so excited to be working with Matt Swyt of Alluring homes. He's a custom builder who does beautiful work. We can't wait to get the ball rolling with him. We've aleady been talking about the plans for the house and were thrilled to have found a 1/2 an acre of yard for our kids that opens up into wild land (check out the view that we'll have from our future bathroom). We finally found something that will work on all fronts.
When we went to check out the schools for the kids and the church we'll be going to it just confirmed to us that Clover, SC is the place for our family.
The school that the girls will go to has a class size of 20 or less, they get the option at lunch time to eat in the cafeteria (can you believe how awesome their cafeteria is? mine didn't look like that when I was growing up!) or outside, the technology in the classroom was amazing, the principal knew every person and child that we passed in the hallway during our tour, the teachers are wonderful, and so much more!
Emmett's school has a gifted and talented program at the school (currently we drive him to a school 20 minutes away for his program), it has band, choir (that has won state for three years running), a science club, lego team, newspaper, and photography club. They have art every week (they don't have art at all here in Utah) and music every week. There are so many exciting things about this adventure.
The skies were dramatic and pretty while we were there and I couldn't stop taking pictures of them. It's incredibly green and just driving down the road is an experience in nature.
We are going to miss Utah very much. We have so many people here that mean so much to us and who have cared deeply about us. To you, please know that we cherish and treasure the blessing that you are (and will hopefully continue to be even though miles will separate us...) to us. We have been so blessed by your lives and by your hearts.
adventure. LIFE.
Reader Comments (22)
My wife and I are also looking to find a home in the Fort Mill, Clover, Rock Hill area. I am retiring at the end of the year and the home prices, taxes and climate in the area are much more reasonable than those here in CT. Our current house in CT would sell for about 50% of what we paid for it if situated in the Fort Mill, Clover ,Rock Hill area. We visited the area last weekend with our realtor (she is excellent…I will give you her name and if she gives me permission..) and looked at about 25 houses. We both liked Fort Mill and Clover the best. Rock Hill gives you more value in terms of house prices. While our kids are grown Fort Mill has the better school system which will be important when (if) we sell. Clover’s proximity to Lake Wylie is also attractive as well.
Best of success in building your home. Perhaps we will be neighbors soon..
Yay Davina!!!!
Ok, so the investigative reporter in me can't help but ask what the future holds for Studio Davina????
Yay Davina!
Long time blog stalker, first time poster! :) I just love your work and am so happy you are moving to the east coast! Congrats!
Davina,
Did you know that I am in Athens which is only 3 HOURS from Charlotte??!!! Do I smell love affair east coast reunion...??? I sure hope so! Congrats on the new space and Im super excited for you...! :)
I am so excited that we will be able to drive to visit each other now versus fly! This means we will also be on the same time zone, finally... no more 2am phone calls because that is the only time to chat. Also... we can just hang out... so MUCH stinkin' fun! I am totally amped for your family that you found the perfect spot and I can't wait for all of you to get over here! You are such a great friend to me!
Oh no way! I was totally going to guess S. Carolina! I can't believe I didn't comment. heh
Super News! Glad to see you'll be on the East Coast! My parents are in SC. I'd love to meet you someday in person.
Awesome. I just might get to do a day with Davina after all. You guys will love the Carolinas.
Congratulations Davina and oh so cute family!! You must be coming down from so many emotions and starting up a whole new fresh set!! Excitement, reminiscing, moving forward, so many. Love. life!!! I'm so excited for you and what a view from the bathroom and whole house!!! We built our home up in a very wooded area of So. Calif. with the mountains at our back door and it's awesome. You are such good and caring parents. God Bless you and good luck on your new journey. All of you. I'm with Karen? is Davina Studio staying in Utah??? much love, deb :)
Earl, what a small world that we are both moving to the same area! Did you find a home?
Karen, there is adventure ahead for Davina Studios! :) I'm really excited about the NC/SC area. It's going to be very new...change can be so wonderful though!!
Thanks, Lauren! I'm soooo glad that you commented!
Melissa....oooo! How fun would a love affair reunion be? Very cool that you are only 3 hours away!
Millie, it's going to be fun! You are the one that's a great friend to me!
Shay! You so should have posted! :)
Alissa, I would love to meet you someday...where do you live?
Tina, we will definitely have to do a Day with Davina!!! I've heard some funny things about the NC/SC...like the civil war didn't happen...it was the war of northern aggression...I'm so excited to live there. Everyone we met was so wonderful! I've lived a lot of places in the country but never in the south...I can't wait!
Deb, you always say such sweet, wonderful, kind things. Thank you. Davina Studios will not be staying in Utah permanently...I will come back occassionally but not often.
I have family in the Cary NC area. They have the option of going to school year round with several breaks throughout the year. Do they offer that at your school district? I was shocked to hear that the Utah schools do not have art. I can't imagine that. And gifted programs aren't in EVERY school? So strange. You will love the trees and the lush green environment. When I first came out to Utah to see where we were going to live, I was like, "where are the trees? where is the grass?" I can't WAIT to move back to the east coast. No more sage and dirt!!! WOOHOO!!! This is very exciting for you. My brother is in SC too (Charleston) and he LOVES it!!!
First time commentor LONG time blog stalker! I am a West Coast transplant to the East Coast. Clover was my first home when I first moved here and it is a great little town. I now live in Rock Hill so I am close by. If you want someone to show you around let me know. I would be happy to meet you and show you the area!
Well, I got close enough to guess the general area! Don't know it well enough to get specific, will have to google it to see. (plus I fiured you spent so much time in the carolinas for your workshops, you fell in love and wanted to stay! Who wouldn't!)
We were thinking of moving down there, but decided not to pick a new state/region when we have family all over (so cal, miami, roankoe, va) and friends in the north east.Looks like a beautiful spot, and you did make the right decision with choosing schools before house.The school looks fantastic and it's an investment in your kid's lives.I finally realized why run down neighborhoods are first colonized and fixed up by gays, traditionally no kids! Keep us posted, can't wait to follow your new house and new life!
OMG! I am SO EXCITED. I can't believe you are moving less than 2 hours away from me. How stinkin' cool is that!!! Does this mean that you will be coming to my PUG!!!! Anything you need to know about the NC and SC markets, I am your girl. I can tell you where you need to put ads and everything. Call me any time.
I knew it was near Millie! What a great find for you and your family. Cute school, gorgeous land, and wonderful on all fronts. A grand adventure.
yay for the fear family! it's so nice to know you have a place for your heart to settle in this new place! even the name of your town 'clover' is absolutely darling but they just scored BIG in having YOU move there! (so yay for clover, too!) warmly, -melanie-
Woohoo! I KNEW you were coming close to Charlotte! I'm in Charlotte too, so we have to meet now :)
What a way to get your kids excited about moving, Nothing beats the visual! I used to think it was just me that thought the sky was bluer back east, kinda like the grass is greener, but they really are. Oh you will love it. Wish you the bestest!
well I guess Millie is the only one left to build a house this year!! YAY!