Well I work in West Columbia so I was looking at either Lexington or Irmo, and I ultimately chose Irmo. The NE is a good area and it is closer to where you will work. I would have considered that area as well, except that it was too far from my office.
While I liked Lexington, here's what influenced me to choose Irmo as the place to buy my first home:
1) Proximity to freeway - I-26 is just a couple miles or so from my house. Hop on I-26 and you can be at I-20 or I-77 in minutes.
2) Proximity to shopping and dining - Harbision is only about 4 miles from where I live. I can be there in 10 minutes or less. There are more things to do in this area than in Lexington.
3) Political climate - Although it may seem petty, I like the politics of Richland county better than Lexington county. I think Lexington county is not as "progressive", for lack of a better term, than Richland county.
That's about it. Both areas have comparable real estate prices. Actually, as I recall, there were a lot of houses in NE Richland county that I wanted to look at, but were too far away for my purposes. I think the prices are a little better in that area too. It wouldn't have been worth the time/gas/wear & tear on my vehicle to save a bit on the house price though.
I'm sure that you will be happy with whatever area you choose. Keep us informed.
