Starting Over -- But Where? (real estate, rental, low crime) - General U.S. - City-Data Forum

Sharon R. · 10-10-2006, 09:06 AM

I'm a middle aged soon to be single white female starting over. I am from the Washington DC area, which I love but can no longer afford. I have been living outside of Atlanta for the past 11 years and I can't take the suburban sprawl anymore.

Here's what I'd like: smaller town (not tiny) possibly outside of a major metro area, OR a smaller city. Walkable is most important, cheap is also important. I am self-employed as a petsitter so I don't have a huge amount of money to spend, but I don't want to sacrifice safety.

I want a small house, preferably a bungalow type, with small yard and front porch, in an area with many other small but tidy homes. Nothing new, not in a subdivision, and definitely no HOAs. Older, established neighborhoods preferably. I want to be able to walk to the drugstore and the grocery and the hardware store, etc. Historic areas are great but normally too pricey, but I hope that's not true everywhere.

I'm thinking I'd like to stay on the East Coast because of family, but I'm not dead set against leaving the area. I just really need to get out of suburban sprawl! I love NC but it has gotten very busy and sprawling and expensive. Asheville is nice, but too expensive.

Weather, well I like it warm but I also like snow. The best thing about Georgia is the early springs and long falls, but I'm negotiable, just as long as there's a good amount of sunshine and not a lot of rain -- so the Seattle area or similar climate is definitely out.

So, where do I go from here? I need a house as I have dogs. I am willing to rent temporarily until I find my perfect spot. Shoot me your ideas, PLEASE!! Have van, will travel!

Electron · 10-10-2006, 09:27 AM

White House, Tennessee. Had the job been right, I'd have moved there last year. I loved the little town. Half hour north of Nashville.

Nea1 · 10-10-2006, 10:20 AM

Yea I would have to agree with you, Tennesee is nice, dont do NC I lived there for two years, you could also try some smaller towns in Washington, like leavenworth, great little tourist town, with affordable housing and greatweather, warm and snow and as a pet sitter you would do very nicely there. Lots to do and highly walkable.

Cosmic · 10-10-2006, 04:09 PM

You didn't say how much money you want to really spend on a house.

A place like Leetonia, Ohio might fit you nicely. Or Salem, Ohio, maybe even Columbiana. Probably have some reasonable employment / business opportunity. Relatively low cost of living.

You can find most of the things mentioned in SE Ohio. You are out of the sprawl belts and it can be some of the lowest crime areas available in the USA. Where else can you find crime stat's where the stolen cars are listed as zero. Where I am people do not lock their cars or houses most of the time, see lots of cars in the summer with windows rolled down in grocery parking lots. Something difficult to get used too for awhile. Can even enjoy driving again.

Real estate can be very cheap but there is a lot to know beforehand. Your trick may be to find the exact right sized town. Woodsfield, Ohio is a place like you describe where it is possible to find that type house but yet be close enough to everything to walk. Enough of the normal daily requirements, services, etc available local to exist.

Finding those conditions just outside a major city is probably tricky. It soon becomes just part of the sprawl belt. Renting most places with pets is probably going to be difficult. Very few places you would like to live / rent allow pets, even rental houses. Most landlords see them as potential problems and just choose to avoid it up front. Too many ruined carpets, barking dogs and problems with neighbors, etc. I never was able to find anything to rent when considering the last move with a dog. Like ZERO, NO PETS was part of EVERY ad.

Lots of Ohio towns to consider. All depends a lot on what you want to pay for a house and what living costs / lifestyle is desired. If you get too picky and it is just right, usually a lot of other folks are looking for exactly the same thing and there you go again.

Some towns in Ohio limit a lot of people if they want higher paying jobs. A lot of the areas like you describe become more retirement type areas. SE Ohio is a bit like that. The better type jobs have left, pressure on housing prices, good for those that don't need to find a normal job.

dullnboring · 10-10-2006, 08:49 PM

I've been to Georgetown, South Carolina a handful of times and always found it such a nice quaint laid-back town, with a walkable downtown, low cost of living, and warm weather located on the Carolina coast. I would recommend it, however, I was surprised just now looking it up and seeing that it has a very high crime rate.

Sharon R. · 10-11-2006, 05:07 AM

The South, in general, has a higher rate of crime than the national average. Individual areas vary a lot, I live in a pretty safe place now, but it is so depressing to get up in the morning and turn on the news and hear about so many awful things that people do -- so I'd definitely like to be in an area with low crime.

SteelCityRising · 10-12-2006, 08:55 PM

Sharon, I hope you consider some part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Three walkable communities that I recommend to you are Kingston, Forty Fort, and West Pittston. I suppose Old Forge is also walkable, but the homes there don't have a lot of "charm." West Pittston is more Victorian-oriented, and Kingston has a lot of Tudors and Cape Cods, so Forty Fort would probably be your best bet for shady "bungalow" neighborhoods with sidewalks and front porches. You can't walk to a lot of conveniences in Forty Fort, but banks, physicians, dentists, hardware stores, grocery stores, laundromats, restaurants, etc. are all within a mile or two of town, as Forty Fort itself is nearly 100% residential. The "big-boxes" are only about ten minutes away via the Cross Valley Freeway to Wilkes-Barre. Homes in Forty Fort are generally quite affordable; a home which you describe would probably list for around $150,000 or less.

Overall though, you will need a vehicle no matter what part of the area you may consider settling yourself down in, as mass transit is abysmal around here (staggered bus schedules, no trains, few taxis, etc.) I'll PM you with links to a few listing you may deem worthwhile!

GAisGreat · 10-14-2006, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharon R.

I'm a middle aged soon to be single white female starting over. I am from the Washington DC area, which I love but can no longer afford. I have been living outside of Atlanta for the past 11 years and I can't take the suburban sprawl anymore.

Here's what I'd like: smaller town (not tiny) possibly outside of a major metro area, OR a smaller city. Walkable is most important, cheap is also important. I am self-employed as a petsitter so I don't have a huge amount of money to spend, but I don't want to sacrifice safety.

I want a small house, preferably a bungalow type, with small yard and front porch, in an area with many other small but tidy homes. Nothing new, not in a subdivision, and definitely no HOAs. Older, established neighborhoods preferably. I want to be able to walk to the drugstore and the grocery and the hardware store, etc. Historic areas are great but normally too pricey, but I hope that's not true everywhere.

I'm thinking I'd like to stay on the East Coast because of family, but I'm not dead set against leaving the area. I just really need to get out of suburban sprawl! I love NC but it has gotten very busy and sprawling and expensive. Asheville is nice, but too expensive.

Weather, well I like it warm but I also like snow. The best thing about Georgia is the early springs and long falls, but I'm negotiable, just as long as there's a good amount of sunshine and not a lot of rain -- so the Seattle area or similar climate is definitely out.

So, where do I go from here? I need a house as I have dogs. I am willing to rent temporarily until I find my perfect spot. Shoot me your ideas, PLEASE!! Have van, will travel!

I agree w/you 100% about Georgia! The sprawl, and corporatization of everything here far outweighs anything good! Same boat here, can't wait to get the hell out!

I would suggest looking into the upper midwest. Many areas up there exactly as you describe as wanting. Maybe a little colder, more snow than you wish, but small, safe, walkable communities, things still different, original, haven't been overtaken by development and corporatization like the south, low cost of living...Chicago is a BEAUTIFUL city, but being in the city may be a little pricey, look into some of the mid-size cities in MI, WI, MN...Or maybe upstate NY...

atlantagreg30127 · 10-18-2006, 01:32 PM

Living West of Atlanta, I can understand the sprawl thing.

Have you thought of just moving further out from Atlanta? Atlanta consumes all towns near it, but go far enough and you get the smaller town feel without the crud from the city. What about Dahlonega? Ellijay? Cleveland, GA? All would still give you the convenience of the city if you want it, but are 50-80 miles outside of it. Or even Chattanooga is a pretty nice town which gives you the "closeness" of larger cities with a smaller city feel.

Sharon R. · 10-18-2006, 06:27 PM

AtlantaGreg, I actually own a house up in Cartersville that I've just put on the market -- it's been a rental the last couple of years. I love it up there, Cartersville is wonderful and it breaks my heart to sell, but for other reasons, I really need to get out of Georgia. Thanks though!