Bossier or Haughton (Shreveport: hardwood floors, rentals, condo)

[OHGirl87]

My husband and I have been thinking about buying a house and fixing it up, because we really can't find any good rentals at a decent price in Bossier. We don't want to buy in Shreveport but are looking at Bossier and Haughton. We don't have kids so the school systems are a big thing, but neighborhoods, housing prices and stuff...where do you think it better to buy?

[hank0604]

Why not Shreveport? That's where you are more likely to find better deals, and since you aren't worried about schools, the Shreveport school system shouldn't be a factor to you. But if I were looking for a deal, these are the areas I would look for:

1) Highland (Shreveport)--The key word here is BIG. You can get a lot of house for your money in this neighborhood. Everything is at least 2000 sqft or larger. The area has had a crime stigma that I can say from experience is false. I would live in Highland again without a second thought.

2) Anderson Island (Shreveport)--Unlike it's partner neighborhood Shreve Island, Anderson Island hasn't kept prices up at the same level. The homes here are more typically 70's style ranch homes, so they are smaller than Highland, but it is a great neighborhood, that is experiencing a surge in popularity recently.

3) Kellyside (Bossier)--In high school, we always thought this neighborhood was ghetto. Then I met some people that live there and spent a lot of time there, and my opinions of it changed. In case you aren't familiar with the name, it is the area north of East Texas Street, east of the river, and west of Hamilton Road. Make sure to keep it within that area, I would not recommend anything outside of that box.

4) Old Greenacres (Bossier)--You will be unlikely to find any great deals here, but it is worth a look. A lot of 70's style ranch homes, and the northern part of the neighborhood has stayed very nice over time. The further south you go, the closer you get to the Riverwood Projects, so the neighborhood gets worse as you go south.

5) Brownlee (Bossier)--This neighborhood is a lot like Old Greenacres, just further north.

Out of all of these, I recommend Highland.

[ceejamon]

Another vote on Highland in Shreveport. I lived there until recently when I moved out of state for work. It used to be a rougher area and much of the stigma still exists in the mind of older generations, but it's perfectly safe now. It's a nice mix of ethnicity and lifestyles, plus its very conveniently located. If I were to still live in SBC, that's where I'd live regardless of my income. It's just a good vibe. As for safety, the only "issue" we ever had was somebody stole my sawhorse I left on the front porch while I was out of town. I figure that could happen anywhere.

We rent out our 1500 3/2 for $1000. It's got a modern kitchen, all appliances including washer & drier, cedar fenced backyard, restored original 1927 hardwood floors, a nice porch, a big back deck, and a storage shed. I freaking miss that house. I'm stuck in a DC condo for the forseeable future.

The main issue I had with Highland is the lack of a really good grocery store nearby. The Brookshire's on E. Kings sucks, and the one on Line Ave was overpriced considering its selection. I did my shopping at Super Target or the Kroger on Youree, but it's really not far to those once you learn the back route.

[RW11290]

A third vote fo Highland in Shreveport. Nice reasonably priced fixer-uppers. The neighborhood is very up and coming in my opinion and would be the perfect place to buy a house to fix up.