South Louisville/Lyndon/Germantown (St. Matthews, Bardstown: hardwood floors, renting, crime)

[glamdais]

Thinking about buying a house in Louisville. Prices seem to be good in these 3 areas. I hear Lyndon is generally safe, but what about Southern Parkway/South Louisville/Iroquis and Germantown? I've heard some areas are safe there and some aren't. Any guidance on what parts of these areas are OK and what aren't? Crime is a major consideration in where I'll buy. Thanks in advance!

[tomocox]

You hit the nail squarely on the head. Each area you listed has its goods and its bads... I would say that the area northwest of Southern Parkway would be your greatest risk area. I am sorry to report that I just can't imagine many properties in 40214 being long term good investments. I am so sad that this wonderful part of Louisville has been invaded by crime and the low values homes are beginning to suffer because of that crime.

[glamdais]

What about the long term investment potential in Lyndon or Germantown?

[tomocox]

I would be cautious in Germantown. Like an old oak tree, it has come to full maturity. It has been a beautiful place and while certainly it still has life and function, it will be subject to the same issues that all deteriorating areas befall in time.

Lyndon is hot again due to the opening of the remodeled Westport Road and the new exit off I-264. Will it be a long haul, only time will tell for sure. I would be comfortable for at least 20-30 years. Just need to watch specific areas.

[glamdais]

Which areas in Lyndon are good and which are bad? I see a lot of lower priced homes in an area called Moorland. Is that a bad area?

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by tomocox

I would be cautious in Germantown. Like an old oak tree, it has come to full maturity. It has been a beautiful place and while certainly it still has life and function, it will be subject to the same issues that all deteriorating areas befall in time.

Lyndon is hot again due to the opening of the remodeled Westport Road and the new exit off I-264. Will it be a long haul, only time will tell for sure. I would be comfortable for at least 20-30 years. Just need to watch specific areas.

Germantown is NOT a "deteriorating" area! It is a real urban area unlike an area to the east of I-264. To the OP, any of those areas are perfectly fine, including the beautiful Southern Parkway corridor. Get back to me on specific addresses you are looking at and I will give you the honest answer. Unfortunately, almost all realtors in Louisville will push you towards east Louisville and Oldham County, where the prices are higher. From what I have seen, this happens in almost every metro area. Its why you see so much disinvestment in many urban areas.

Let me tell you this, don't take advice from me or Tom. I live downtown, and he lives over 30 minutes from Beechmont (southern Parkway) and Germantown. What you need to do is go into these areas, drive around, walk around, and talk to neighbors. They'll give you the honest answer. Contact the neighborhood associations....they'd LOVE to hear from you I promise you. You came up with these three neighborhoods on your own accord, and I think they are all very fine areas, but I think you will learn more from people who actually live there.

http://germantownandschnitzelburg.blogspot.com/

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/loui...c/assocon.html

http://www.beechmont.org/about.asp

http://www.cityoflyndon.org/

Louisville has VERY strong and active neighborhood associations and the neighbors in the good areas like Beechmont and Germantown take great pride in their areas. I assure you the poeple in these areas will give you a much better persepctive on what it is like to live there than any hearsay you read on the internet. As you get into the newer, cookie cutter suburbs, you get "safer" in that it is more "white," if that is what you are looking for. But you will also miss the character and community of a good old fashioned neighborhood.

[glamdais]

No specific addresses in mind yet as it will be 3-4 months before I start this. I do appreciate the offer though and will defininitely keep it in mind. I'm thinking of maybe renting a place first before buying in an area to make sure it's the one for me. I love the neighborhood feel as I lived in the Highlands years ago, but can not afford to buy there now. I had read on this board that Germantown was sort of up and coming. A place where people who couldn't afford the Highlands/East End were buying.

[xocomot]

Take anything East End Realtor Tom says with a grain of salt. The best area, if Highlands are of interest but too pricey, is Germantown. Appreciation has been a solid 10% over the past two years, largely all buying are first-time homeowners between 25-35 or so, new businesses are opening up in the neighborhood, and it's the closest neighborhood to downtown (which will mean alot when gas goes back up to over $4.00).

As far as the "old oak tree" analogy goes, Germantown previously wasn't a "beautiful place" and has hardly come to full maturity. It's just now starting to become an interesting neighborhood. The changing feel and energy is apparent; it's happening organically and naturally.

I can't speak to South Louisville, but read the new Velocity cover story about Westport Village. If this kind of thing appeals to you, Lydon is your place. If you think it's suburban and cheesy, Germantown is your place.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by xocomot

Take anything East End Realtor Tom says with a grain of salt, since he's just trying to line his pockets. The best area, if Highlands are of interest but too pricey, is Germantown. Appreciation has been a solid 10% over the past two years, largely all buying are first-time homeowners between 25-35 or so, new businesses are opening up in the neighborhood, and it's the closest neighborhood to downtown (which will mean alot when gas goes back up to over $4.00).

As far as the "old oak tree" analogy goes, Germantown previously wasn't a "beautiful place" and has hardly come to full maturity. It's just now starting to become an interesting neighborhood. The changing feel and energy is apparent; it's happening organically and naturally.

I can't speak to South Louisville, but read the new Velocity cover story about Westport Village. If this kind of thing appeals to you, Lydon is your place. If you think it's suburban and cheesy, Germantown is your place.

You can suggest all you want that i am in disagreement with your opinion about anything you wish.

The oak tree analogy is very solid. I have seen it happen all over Louisville the past 20 years. An area will get hot then stop dead in its tracks. Germantown has about one more rotation.. The next round of buyers in the area will likely face disappointing resale values compared to other similarly priced areas. I saw it happen in Hikes Point, lower Brownsboro Rd, and Auburndale/Kenwood. It even has happened in parts of St. Matthews.

[31joe]

A good comparison/contrast of Germantown/Lyndon would be of use to actually answer the op, definitely moreso than tales of oak trees and faux-indignant demands for apologies. Both areas are attracting many 1st time homebuyers, but mostly totally different types of people.

Germantown: Louisville Film Society screenings at Nachbar
Lyndon: Westport Village

Germantown: Walk/bike to Bardstown Road, Old Louisville, & downtown
Lyndon: Drive to Robison Park green space or businesses on Hurstbourne Lane

Germantown: 100 year old houses with hardwood floors
Lyndon: Mid-century to recently built houses

That's for starters. Anyone else?