Warner Robins - Northside (Macon, Centerville: high crime, house, neighborhood)

[Limaro]

Anyone have any specific housing areas that are recommended? We are looking to spend around 300k, but would spend more or less according to what we find. Specifically we want a little land (1-3 acres) and a home from 2500 sqft. If any of you have specific sub division names in the Warner Robins area (Macon, Kathleen, Perry, Bonaire...) I would really appreciate it. I am going to be in the area next month to try to gauge the situation down there. Hopefully I won't be to over saturated with areas to cover =) Thanks!

[FlyGuy95]

Originally Posted by mk626

Hello! My husband currently has orders to Robins AFB and we are looking to buy a house there in few months. I've been researching the schools in the area (Houston, Peach and Bleckley County) at greatschools.net and I am very much impressed with the Houston County schools, especially the high schools. We've also been looking at the real estate listings online and are focusing on places like Warner Robins, Byron, Cochran, Kathleen, Bonaire and Perry. We're looking for an older home with some land and more square footage than what you get with the newer homes in the cookie-cutter neighborhoods and the North side of Houston county seems to have a lot more to offer as far as that goes.

My concern is that we've been told repeatedly to stay away from the North side of the county and I was just wondering if it is really as bad there as we've read. The high school (Northside) seems to have great reviews from parents and former students - some of the elementary schools seem so-so. I know the North side of the county has the older communities but what is it that is really turning people off to the area?

Also, how do the schools in Peach and Bleckley county measure up? I saw that Bleckley County made the US News & World Report's best high schools list. I've heard that Byron Elementary and Middle School are great but that Peach County HS is less than stellar. I really like that the Houston County high schools have so much more to offer as far as extracurricular activities go.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

I just retired here after 20 years in the Air Force.

Sounds to me like you would be better off in Bonaire. Out in the more rural areas, there are houses in the price range you are looking for with lots of land. I'm not too sure how many are for sale right now, though. I was out on a drive in that area yesterday, and I'm looking to move out that way when I get a bit more settled. Houston County High is in that area, by the way.

As for the Northside of warner robins, I am renting here right now (actually, Centerville) but I drive through the northside quite a bit on the way to Macon or the base. The problem is there are a lot of very low income areas up here, mainly north of Green Street and east of Houston Road. They are situated pretty much out of sight, but a few wrong turns and you could be in a very bad area. Trust me, I've done that many a time. Unfortunately, directly outside of most of the base gates (over the train tracks), those areas are very run down, and looks very unsafe. But, entering/leaving the base from Russell Parkway is a really decent area. Older, but decent. Any other gate is gonna put you right in a rather run down area. Russell Pkwy to HWY 96 from the base is very new and more modern, and a lot of really nice subdivisions are out that way. The more West you go on 96 or Russell, it gets really nice. Between Russell and Watson, but south of Carl Vinson parkway are really nice older neighborhoods with TONS of tree lined streets. I personally like to drive down Russell Pkwy to get to and from the base. I am a big car fan, so I drive around a lot. Lately, I've been driving a lot out in the Bonaire area. I can't tell right now what direction that is from the base, but I personally feel it's very nice out there.

From your post, I would say look at a map, and try to buy in the areas closest to Russell Pkway and highway 96.

Oh yeah, there are lots of registered sex offenders in Bonaire, but they are mostly registered near a subdivision called Kentshire Run or something like that. There are a few subdivisions on that same street (can't remember the name but it's off of Feagin Mill Rd), and those subdivisions are slowly becoming very empty.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: MK626, to add, the older homes on the northside are very nice with lots of land and are very safe. Just concentrate your search in Centerville, and areas west of Houston Lake Road (NOT Houston Road!!). The areas in Bonaire with older homes are very nice as well, but as you've already noticed, they are a tad bit pricier. I can't comment on the high schools....sorry

EDIT: Limaro, pretty much my entire post should help you the most. Just concentrate on the areas I mentioned earlier.

Good Luck to both of you.

[PotterGeek]

Limaro,

For what you're looking for, you should check out Flat Creek Reserve in Perry. The lots are huge and it is gorgeous out there. Very nice homes.

There's a home that was just listed in our subdivision (no it's not mine, LOL) this very past weekend, you might like it as well. It has a huge lot and sits on an entire culdesac. It's incredibly "underpriced" if you ask me, so it should sell quick. It's in Byron.. Here's a link to it: Moderator cut: url removed


or you can look at realtor.com, Moderator cut: removed
Actually, that one has a slightly bigger lot than you may be wanting.

and try to buy in the areas closest to Russell Pkway and highway 96.

Russell Pkwy extension would be a good area. I'd steer clear of Hwy 96 UNLESS you bought off 96 closer to the interstate. (past Lake Joy Rd) Hwy 96 area is EXTREMELY congested and traffic is nuts. If you head further west off 96, you will have close proximity to I-75 which will give you an alternate route when traffic is at its worst. I'd certainly stay away from the Houston Lake Road end of Hwy 96.

But do check out Flat Creek Reserve in Perry, for sure. I think you will be glad you did!
Good luck

[BuckeyeGal]

There is also a new subdivision going in off of North Houston Lake Rd called The Overlook.

[BuckeyeGal]

Originally Posted by FlyGuy95

I just retired here after 20 years in the Air Force.
As for the Northside of warner robins, I am renting here right now (actually, Centerville) but I drive through the northside quite a bit on the way to Macon or the base. The problem is there are a lot of very low income areas up here, mainly north of Green Street and east of Houston Road. They are situated pretty much out of sight, but a few wrong turns and you could be in a very bad area. Trust me, I've done that many a time. Unfortunately, directly outside of most of the base gates (over the train tracks), those areas are very run down, and looks very unsafe.

This is true, but leads one to believe that the whole northside of Warner Robins is bad territory. We are situated in the Northside High School district and our neighborhood is very nice. It is somewhat established, the homes are around 15 years old. We bought our home in 1995 and plan to retire from the Air Force here.

We noticed the cars that the Houston County High kids drive are better than we can afford. BMWs, brand spanking new Mustangs.

We have a friend who is PCSing to Japan for 3 years, just built a home in Kathleen. He's looking to rent out the home. Might be an idea to toy with, rent before you buy to make sure you are happy with where you will live.

[Limaro]

Thanks Alot! I do love that home, and more property is no issue, I say the bigger the lot the better! I have definitely added Flat Creek Reserve to my prospect list. DO you know of any other listings there? Again, thanks!

[deepgreensea]

Originally Posted by leavingbyron

If you haven't grown up in the area and went to school in the area yourself, you cannot sit back and claim it isn't true.

I went to Hoco and do not understand the hatred towards the school. Would anyone care to explain it? I come from a very low income family and was never judged in any sort of way. In fact I really enjoyed my four years there even though I didn't have the best grades. I really liked their uses of technology.

mk626, your best bet may be Bonaire. The houses may end up being newer but there are more opportunities to have more land. It would be harder to do so on the north side of town since it's already built up.

[PotterGeek]

I went to Hoco and do not understand the hatred towards the school. Would anyone care to explain it? I come from a very low income family and was never judged in any sort of way.

(No hatred here, but I went to private school in the area and I can tell you there was no pretension like there is at HOCO High.)

Again, I think Perry High is wonderful, the kids and parents for the most part are real, and if I were moving into the area, that's where I'd start first. But I love Perry, it is my favorite town in Houston County. I just was up there today purchasing High School Musical tickets from their drama department. They will have their production in April.

And it depends on what type of lifestyle one wants, so that should always go into consideration...

[Peelo]

I wouldnt live in Perry if you gave me a house there......

[PotterGeek]

I wouldnt live in Perry if you gave me a house there......

Peelo must live in HOCO High district

Why don't you like Perry? It's a charming, very typical southern town. I work in Perry and my husband and I love it there. We live in Byron, but if we ever relocated back to Houston County, we'd buy in Perry for sure. (Don't get me wrong, we love Byron, and that was hypothetical....)

But alas, we will be moving further north to Monroe County to be closer to his work (he works in Atlanta). We will be listing our house in the next few weeks.

Limaro, I work for the local phone company in the Centerville/Warner Robins/Perry area. I'll ask around since our engineers and technicians are pretty knowledgable about all the subdivisions/neighborhoods.
Are you looking for brand new or a resale?

I will say this, house prices are starting to decline in Houston County. I might suggest, if you are buying a house, look for a well established subdivision maybe about 6-10 years old. Anything built in the last 5 years, I'm not so sure how that will depreciate/appreciate in this housing market. If you see alot of "for sale" signs in the neighborhood, that's not good. But I'm sure you knew that...