moving from ohio (Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Hoover: amusement park, loan, home)

[Clarkx3]

Hi guys this board is pretty helpful in suggesting good/bad areas. Our family will be relocating within a few weeks to the west side of Birmingham for a job transfer. Can anyone give me opinions/answers as far as the quality of cities such as Pell City, Annistion, and Oxford or the general west side? Obviously schools are important but so is proximity to shopping....and not just Wal-Mart and grocery stores. Places of interest and things to do? Any help with opinions would be greatly appreciated.
D.C.

[dac]

Hrm. Pell city is ok.. and I dont know about anniston or Oxford. Your closest good shopping places would be in birmingham. As for things to do, theres logan martin lake, hunting/fishing, and some amusement park in birmingham. I think its called vision land.

[Lodger]

Anniston and Oxford are nice places, as is Jacksonville but they are on the east side of Birmingham. I don't know much about the west side after you get out of Birmingham proper, but there are several small towns scattered around. I think most are just bedroom communities until you get to Tuscaloosa.

[Clarkx3]

Thanks for the info. I suppose what we want/need is to not be "right in the city" but in an area not too far from what it offers with good schools and safety. We had another interview yesterday and it looks almost 99% sure they want to move us down there. I am nervous about how to meet new people. We have moved before for his job, maybe it will be easier now since our child is older and I won't be "trapped" in the house. Any advice on meeting groups online or in town when we do move?
Thanks in advance.
D.C.

[AdrianJ]

Hey. Have to reply quickly. Oxford has one of the best school systems in the area. Shopping is great. Near I-20 you are not far from anything at all. Weather is great. People are great. Mountains impressive without being impossible. Forests are green. What else could you ask for except a little more water. Check out Cider Ridge when you get to town.

[Clarkx3]

Appreciate it alot, it looked nice on the internet, but would rather have someones honest opinion.
D.C.

[Befe]

I have several friends in the Birmingham area. It seems that S. Birmingham (i.e. Hoover, Pell City, etc.) are nice areas in which to live.

[Clarkx3]

Hello again,
This forum in general has been very helpful to our family. My husband finally got a time frame on moving so we should be down in a month or so. We are working on our home loan etc now so when we find a home, we can make an offer right away : ) With that being said, I was hoping/wondering if anyone could let me know of any areas in Anniston that are actually located in the Oxford school system? We like that area as a whole anniston/oxford but we were a little concerned the anniston school system may be alot larger than what our daughter is used to. We are in Ohio now, and her school system is pretty rural even though were about 25min. west of Cleveland. Any help would be appreciated or opinions/advice on other school systems. We want to stay within 30min. drive time of Lincoln as hubby's job is a rep. at the Honda Plant.
Thank You~!

[deesonic]

Anniston/Oxford are a LONG way to commute to WEST Bham. You might look into the West Blocton or Woodstocks area between Bham and Tuscaloosa. I've heard that area is nice. But I don't really know why anyone would want to commute that far either with $2.00 plus gas prices and traffic.

[ronideal]

East Alabama is a great place to live, and getting better by the year. Anniston is rebounding, but its city schools are questionable at best. Oxford is nice, with better schools. Lincoln, Pell City and Riverside are growing with the Honda Plant, Talladega Superspeedway, and Logan Martin Lake. There is a mall in Oxford, and you would be between Birmingham and Atlanta when you decide to do some serious shopping. Moderator cut: realtor advertising

Originally Posted by Clarkx3

Hi guys this board is pretty helpful in suggesting good/bad areas. Our family will be relocating within a few weeks to the west side of Birmingham for a job transfer. Can anyone give me opinions/answers as far as the quality of cities such as Pell City, Annistion, and Oxford or the general west side? Obviously schools are important but so is proximity to shopping....and not just Wal-Mart and grocery stores. Places of interest and things to do? Any help with opinions would be greatly appreciated.
D.C.