Good,Safe neighbourhood in Westside( 15 minutes from JAX NAS) (Jacksonville: cul-de-sac, apartments)

[rsgcontact]

Hi, I am looking for nice single family house in Jax Westside area near JAX NAS.
Here are some of the house address, and the subdivisions followed by the areas that I am looking into- all these information is from the realtor. I don't have much idea being out of town.

Zipcode = 32244
5073 Tequesta CT 32244 , RUSSELL YUKN/WESC/OAK H

7106 Cypress Cove RD 32244 , WILLOW LAKES CONDOMINIUM ARGYLE/OAKLEAF PLNT AREA

5638 COLONY PINE North 32244,WHISPERING PINES YUKN/WESC/OAK H

6142 COMMODORE DR 32244 , VENETIA TERRACE YUKN/WESC/OAK H
============================

zipcode 32210
8506 Susie ST 32210 ,Jax Heights Normandy
7438 CANAVERAL RD 32210, OAK HILL MNR/ENGLISH EST OAK Hill
2607 Hugh Edwards DR 32210, Cedar Hills HYDE GROVE AREA
3250 Warrington ST 32210, Highway Paxon
7151 Karenita DR 32210 Cedar Hills HYDE GROVE AREA
2203 Thiervy DR 32210 Normandy Village Normandy
8069 DELAROCHE 32210 Normandy Village Normandy
6857 MISS MUFFET LN South 32210 Cedar Hills CEDAR HILLS
6749 MISS MUFFET North 32210 Cedar Hills HYDE GROVE AREA
2104 FIGARO 32210 Cedar Hills CEDAR HILLS
3903 Macgregor DR 32210 Cedar Hills CEDAR HILLS
8005 Jacques DR 32210 Normandy Village Normandy
=============================
32205
1251 ORTON ST 32205, CEDARHURST Murray Hills /lakeshore
2752 Gilmore ST 32205, WEST RIVERSIDE GREELEYS Riverside
2971 Rosselle ST 32205, Gillen Murray Hills /lakeshore
3226 Gilmore ST 32205, MURRAY HILL HEIGHTS Murray Hills /lakeshore
=============================

It's too many address..but if you guys can give an idea on westside of Jax, that will be great.
I am getting lots of search results but they are not definitive about the areas above. Can anyone of you please help me in understanding the above areas? I am from out of town moving to Jax and my main concern is safety. I will love to have a nice , quiet neighbourhood, not a pricey one.So if you can let me know exactly the areas that I should look for in westside Jax and near NAS that is safe but not pricey house that will be great.

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions..

[riveree]

I can't go through all the addresses, but you can find some not-too-expensive rentals in Avondale and it's a very nice area.

Also consider Riverside. There is a crime element, but it's certainly not our worst and many people love living in Riverside. Plenty of rentals there as well.

Murray Hill is okay. Murray Hill has been cleaning up in the past few years.

You can do an advanced search on the Jacksonville forum with key words such as "Avondale", "Riverside" or the zip codes you're interested in. We have plenty of past discussions on many of the areas you're considering.

[rsgcontact]

Thanks a lot. Yes, I know it is very hard to point out.
I searched thru lot of the post in this forum and though I am getting a general idea that Westside is not so safe, still I am looking to stay near NAS, but also a safer place for kids.
I am primarily looking for the following two-three properties due to my budget. Can you please let me know about these areas at least, as I am concerned very much about the safety , but don't want to be far from NAS also.

5373 Tequesta CT 32244 RUSSELL YUKN/WESC/OAK H
5638 COLONY PINE North 32244 WHISPERING PINES YUKN/WESC/OAK H
7438 CANAVERAL RD 32210 OAK HILL MNR/ENGLISH EST OAK Hill
2203 Thiervy DR 32210 Normandy Village Normandy
2607 Hugh Edwards DR 32210 Cedar Hills HYDE GROVE AREA
3903 Macgregor DR 32210 Cedar Hills CEDAR HILLS
1251 ORTON ST 32205 CEDARHURST MurrayH/Lakeshore

The realtors are not specific at all. They are telling that Jax has a very high crime rate and so no place is safe. As I have to be in Jax I atleast get the best neighbourhood in my budget.
Any help is appreciated.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by rsgcontact

Thanks a lot. Yes, I know it is very hard to point out.
I searched thru lot of the post in this forum and though I am getting a general idea that Westside is not so safe, still I am looking to stay near NAS, but also a safer place for kids.
I am primarily looking for the following two-three properties due to my budget. Can you please let me know about these areas at least, as I am concerned very much about the safety , but don't want to be far from NAS also.

5373 Tequesta CT 32244 RUSSELL YUKN/WESC/OAK H
5638 COLONY PINE North 32244 WHISPERING PINES YUKN/WESC/OAK H
7438 CANAVERAL RD 32210 OAK HILL MNR/ENGLISH EST OAK Hill
2203 Thiervy DR 32210 Normandy Village Normandy
2607 Hugh Edwards DR 32210 Cedar Hills HYDE GROVE AREA
3903 Macgregor DR 32210 Cedar Hills CEDAR HILLS
1251 ORTON ST 32205 CEDARHURST MurrayH/Lakeshore

The realtors are not specific at all. They are telling that Jax has a very high crime rate and so no place is safe. As I have to be in Jax I atleast get the best neighbourhood in my budget.
Any help is appreciated.

The crime is not dispersed equally throughout all of any city, I don't know why a realtor would say that.

In the general breakdown of Westside, Northside, Southside, the Southside is considered the safest. So you are correct, you'll need a fair amount of crime tolerance to live on the Westside, but there are certainly some good neighborhoods. As I said, I would try to get into Avondale if at all possible. I would not be looking to Yukon at all. Murray Hill and Lakeshore are okay if your options were getting limited, but Avondale is much, much better.

I don't know all the other spots you're looking at except in the most general terms, so I'll leave that for others to comment on. But I've had friends rent older apartments in Avondale in small quad buildings and such and they were on very nice, safe streets.

[Sum1Else]

We live on the Westside. Before this we were in Mandarin which many consider a safer side of town. (There were break-ins on our 'safe' suburban cul-de-sac.) Yes, there are unsavory types here on the Westside and it varies as to what area you live on this side. Some of the places you posted are not in areas where I would like to be.

I am guessing you don't have school-age children since you didn't mention schools being a concern.

The only 'real' gauge of crime I have found, besides driving around at different times of day, is the JSO Crime Map.

JSO | CrimeStats Map
Click ACCEPT to get the map to pop up in a new window. There is a tutorial there, too, though I haven't taken it.

Once you are in the new window, click Address Search.
* Uncheck "exact address"
* Type in the house number and the street name. You can leave out the Type and Direction.
* Click the search button. If it can find the address, it will show a small globe icon next to the address.
* Click the globe and the map will zoom in to the area. On the right column will be the crime stats for the previous 6 months.

When you are done viewing that address, click Search at the top right and start over.

This will give you a snapshot of what is going on in about a 1/2-mile radius around the address you requested. You can use the tools at the bottom of the map to pan around the area to see a bigger picture of the pockets of 'good' and 'bad' areas.

If you can take a house-hunting trip, it would be a good idea. Another good thing is to come and stay in a hotel or something for a week or so. This will let you look around the area yourself.

[rsgcontact]

Hello All,
Thanks for all the tips and the great website of JSO crime. No doubt, I need to drive by and take couple of weeks before deciding.
After doing some research and talking with some realtors here is what I am coming up regarding Westside:
1. While going on I10 from west to east (towards Jax downtown) after passing I295 junction anything on left (North) is not great area regarding crimerate.
2. While going on I10 from west to east (towards Jax downtown) after passing I295 junction anything on right (North) UPTO Roosevelt Blvd is not great area. Only after Wilson Blvd the area starts to get better.
3. The area between I-10, Roosevelt Blvd (on west) and River (on east) is a better area except the North portion (Post street area)
4. Some part of Normandy area , Ortega and Avondale is good
5. But it is good to stay away from close to 103rd Street area (primarily I295, 103rd crossing)
6. As I go more south the areas get better. Collins Road, Blanding Blvd, Roosevelt Blvd areas (e.g: argyle, oak leaf plantation, West Connect) etc.
7. The only confusion that I am having is particularly in the area between 118th street (South) and Timuguana Road (North), Blanding/Seaboard avenue on west and Ortega Firm Blvd/Roosevelt Blvd on East. I found in some forum links it is not good while in other forums links as well as as per crime site it looks ok compared to other areas.
8. Once I go beyond 295 south to Orange Park, that area seems to be ok also.
Please let me know regarding my understanding of westside as area wise (mainly from safety perspective)

[Karla with a K]

Looking at the properties you have listed it appears your looking at houses under $100k
This is going to be very challenging.
Realtor's are very limited in the info they can give regarding "what kind of neighborhood"
My husband who is familiar with the Westside agreed with Riveree that of all the choices Murray Hill is probably better than the others you have listed.
Sketchy was the word he used on many of them.
We know someone that lives in Whispering Pines, there are a lot of rentals in the neighborhood. It appears that the prices there have dropped by about $20k from 6 months ago.

With so many houses on the market and prices adjusting you might want to consider renting for the first year while you get a handle on the area. Many folks that are unable to sell are offering some really good rental deals.
You mention that you want to be 15 mins from NAS, is that where you will be working ?
If so depending on when you start you maybe able to find a nice rental in your budget right over the bridge in the Mandarin and still be very close to the 15 min travel time frame.
We live on the Southside and I can be over the bridge to 17 when there is no traffic in 20 mins.

[ShakenStirred]

Awesome post, thanks for the link!

Originally Posted by Sum1Else

We live on the Westside. Before this we were in Mandarin which many consider a safer side of town. (There were break-ins on our 'safe' suburban cul-de-sac.) Yes, there are unsavory types here on the Westside and it varies as to what area you live on this side. Some of the places you posted are not in areas where I would like to be.

I am guessing you don't have school-age children since you didn't mention schools being a concern.

The only 'real' gauge of crime I have found, besides driving around at different times of day, is the JSO Crime Map.

JSO | CrimeStats Map
Click ACCEPT to get the map to pop up in a new window. There is a tutorial there, too, though I haven't taken it.

Once you are in the new window, click Address Search.
* Uncheck "exact address"
* Type in the house number and the street name. You can leave out the Type and Direction.
* Click the search button. If it can find the address, it will show a small globe icon next to the address.
* Click the globe and the map will zoom in to the area. On the right column will be the crime stats for the previous 6 months.

When you are done viewing that address, click Search at the top right and start over.

This will give you a snapshot of what is going on in about a 1/2-mile radius around the address you requested. You can use the tools at the bottom of the map to pan around the area to see a bigger picture of the pockets of 'good' and 'bad' areas.

If you can take a house-hunting trip, it would be a good idea. Another good thing is to come and stay in a hotel or something for a week or so. This will let you look around the area yourself.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by rsgcontact

Hello All,
Thanks for all the tips and the great website of JSO crime. No doubt, I need to drive by and take couple of weeks before deciding.
After doing some research and talking with some realtors here is what I am coming up regarding Westside:
1. While going on I10 from west to east (towards Jax downtown) after passing I295 junction anything on left (North) is not great area regarding crimerate.
2. While going on I10 from west to east (towards Jax downtown) after passing I295 junction anything on right (North) UPTO Roosevelt Blvd is not great area. Only after Wilson Blvd the area starts to get better.
3. The area between I-10, Roosevelt Blvd (on west) and River (on east) is a better area except the North portion (Post street area)
4. Some part of Normandy area , Ortega and Avondale is good
5. But it is good to stay away from close to 103rd Street area (primarily I295, 103rd crossing)
6. As I go more south the areas get better. Collins Road, Blanding Blvd, Roosevelt Blvd areas (e.g: argyle, oak leaf plantation, West Connect) etc.
7. The only confusion that I am having is particularly in the area between 118th street (South) and Timuguana Road (North), Blanding/Seaboard avenue on west and Ortega Firm Blvd/Roosevelt Blvd on East. I found in some forum links it is not good while in other forums links as well as as per crime site it looks ok compared to other areas.
8. Once I go beyond 295 south to Orange Park, that area seems to be ok also.
Please let me know regarding my understanding of westside as area wise (mainly from safety perspective)

Maybe this will help, the very nicest part of the Westside is on the river. This is where the gorgeous historic mansions are. Snuggled right up to them are some modest older homes. So when you drive through Avondale and Ortega, you're going to like how the area looks . If you're looking to buy a home, if you can find an affordable home in one of these neighborhoods, you're likely to be very happy there and it's likely to be a good investment - these areas have stood the test of time.

You can go further south into Orange Park, in Clay county, and you're sure to find an affordable home there. Orange Park is much more suburban than Avondale/Riverside.

Further south again - well into Clay county - are the other areas you mentioned, like Arglye and Oakleaf. These areas are also affordable, but they don't have the proximity that other areas do - you're far away from most things here.

But all these areas you're speaking of are all over the place in terms of location and style of neighborhood. Most people that would consider Murray Hill would never be looking in Oakleaf, the reverse is true as well. I don't know that we can give you much of a target area if you haven't yet decided whether you want to live in Duval county or Clay county, older established neighborhood or brand new planned development, etc.

[rsgcontact]

Hello All,
As per your advice last weekend I came down to Jax and looked around the houses nearby NAS. I have shortlisted two.

One house which I liked is just 5 minutes from NAS - the address is 5363 tequesta ct, 32244 (subdivision: Russell).Nice house with 4 bR/2 bath with wooden floor and very good condition (it is priced also at low 100- 120K.. so within my budget)..
The other house is 2607 HUGH EDWARDS DR, 32210 (Cedar Hills) as it is very cheap -which is also 4 bedroom house and big with a nice size lot - but little far from NAS , I think it is bank foreclosed and needs some work -but it is very cheap. I might get everything ready within 100K.
Please let me know area wise and safety wise is both of them are ok. Also please let me know any feedback that you have for these areas and price of the houses.


Thanks a lot for all your help and making my move a easier process