Safe area in B'ham area with townhouses (Birmingham, Hoover: to live in, price)

[gustygulas]

I would recommend Gardendale or Trussville.

The Summit at Gardendale is in the mid 140s.
Caufield Park is in the low 200s

There are some townhomes available downtown in the low to mid 100s.

Has she thought about the loft district?

[heathanoah]

Originally Posted by Keeper

I found out if she accepts the job, it is in Tarrant. I have been through there on the way to B'ham but know nothing about the area.

Tarrant is one of the not so nice areas of town. She won't want to live there just as a heads up. I know everyone keeps hating on me, but I do know the areas pretty well

[heathanoah]

Originally Posted by tuxedocat

I am surprised at the comments about Southside being safe. I don't think it is all that safe. It is a nice and interesting place in the daytime but I would not want to be coming in to a dark empty condo in the middle of the night from a trip out of town.
I think you should know it is not that safe. I know someone who lived there and she would complain about homeless people wandering around and sometimes sleeping near her door.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I was starting to loose faith that any regular people were commenting on here. There are little patches of Southside that are really nice, but most of it is older homes cut up into apartments and there are a lot of dark alley's. And yes, the occasional bum.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by heathanoah

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I was starting to loose faith that any regular people were commenting on here. There are little patches of Southside that are really nice, but most of it is older homes cut up into apartments and there are a lot of dark alley's. And yes, the occasional bum.

Oh, that's so wrong.

We lived in the Five Points area for three years. We lived off Highland Avenue. We lived in Avondale. We lived in Forest Park. We had friends who lived in Crestwood, Green Springs, Redmont, and even the areas behind UAB. Over the past 15 years, there isn't a nook or cranny of Birmingham's Southside that I haven't visited, and I can say pretty much that the exact opposite is true. Overall, it is a very pleasant part of town with lots of beautiful homes and neighborhoods, with the occasional bad pocket of town. The fact that you chose to live a block from a public housing complex and next to a park where the homeless hang out might have something to do with it.

[pvjd]

As I'm sure you can see, it is difficult to get a true answer. Some people are fond of the character of Birmingham, some will dis it due to a bad experience or prejudice, while others are too PC to trust anything that comes out of their mouths. Come and visit, look up local news links, look for pictures and images, etc. Birmingham is very large, and has a high crime rate, but most of it is concentrated to a few sections of town ( I am a social worker who works directly with the mentally ill, chronically homeless and drug abusers. I can tell you some of the not so safe parts).

[Bbluefish]

I agree with pvjd...some people are fond of the character of Birmingham while others have a bad taste as a result of a bad experience or prejudice. While Southside is charming, many people who move to Birmingham & are looking at townhomes like the newness of the 280...even with the traffic!

I know when I moved to Birmingham & started my career I loved Forest Park but there were no townhomes in this quaint little community. I ended up living in a brand new (completely re-modeled & bulldozed) condo called the "Crescent Condominiums"...very nice & conveniently located on the street to the side of the Donnelly House & all the doggie parks :-)

After a few years, I moved to a new condo in Meadow Brook & LOVED living on 280...all the amenities you could ask for!! Where else in Birmingham can you live with home improvement stores galore, movie theatres, restaurants, grocery stores,etc, all within miles from your home? It's ideal if you are looking for that type of convenience.

I also agree the best thing to do is to come & visit & check it out in person. I have moved to the east coast but have such fond memories of my time in Birmingham!!!

[pvjd]

Meadow Brook is nice. Also Hoover, Acton/Rocky Ridge area, and Vestavia, as well as some parts of Homewood (just try to avoid Valley Ave.). Good luck

[turneed]

If she accepts the job, Tarrant wouldn't be the best and/or safest place to live. She may want to try Pinson, which i believe is straight down hwy 79 from Tarrant. Trussville is nice and it isn't far from Pinson. If she wants to live closer to the city, there are some nice places in Homewood. She should go to al.com and check out the real estate section. It is a great site for home buyers.

[tjshines]

Hi,
I am being relocated to Birmingham. I currently live in a loft in Memphis, and recently found some beautifil lofts online. I have been attempting to find out about the downtown area surrounding the newly developed lofts, and have only gotten mixed comments about the downtown area in relation to living there (50-50 on how bad crime is in the area). I hope someone in this forum will be able to give me some information about the downtown area, especially around the newly developed lofts. PLEASE keep it real, I need to know the truth.

TJ

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by tjshines

Hi,
I am being relocated to Birmingham. I currently live in a loft in Memphis, and recently found some beautifil lofts online. I have been attempting to find out about the downtown area surrounding the newly developed lofts, and have only gotten mixed comments about the downtown area in relation to living there (50-50 on how bad crime is in the area). I hope someone in this forum will be able to give me some information about the downtown area, especially around the newly developed lofts. PLEASE keep it real, I need to know the truth.

TJ

I know several people who live in lofts downtown. The city of Birmingham has really invested in patrols to ensure that it's safe. As a result, relatively little crime happens in that area, particularly compared to West End, Northside, and Woodlawn. As a result, the loft community is really beginning to take off downtown. Worth checking out, in my opinion.