Need some suggestions (Memphis, Bartlett, Germantown: apartment complexes, rental, houses)

[JumpinJax]

Hey everyone. I am moving from STL to Memphis next month for a new job opportunity. I have put a lot of time into searching for apartments in Memphis and it seems like I cannot get a good read on any of them. It seems like every time I think I've found a decent place I find that the reviews suggest otherwise. I am a 24 year old male that will be working off of 40 and whitten rd. My girlfriend is moving with me so safety is my main concern. I would also like the complex to be fairly new or updated with amenities.

I was originally looking at apartments in the suburbs but have read bad reviews on most of the reasonably priced ones (crime, bugs, management, etc). Now I know you can't judge a place solely on reviews but I don't want to risk regretting this move.

After reading some of the threads here it seems midtown and mud island are pretty safe bets.

Could anyone provide some specific complexes I should look at (suburbs or downtown)?

I would lprolly say my max budget is about 900-1000 if it was downtown. I don't know if I could justify spending that much in the suburbs though.

Places I have on my list currently:
Bartlett crossing
Country squire
The edge apartment homes
Crescent at wolf chase

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[JoeCartpath]

Mud island is a long commute to I-40/Whitten....and, for that matter, so is Midtown - even though you'd probably be going opposite the worst traffic. If it were me I'd certainly stay in the Bartlett/Cordova area...there are plenty of apartments nearby that would limit your commute to maybe 5-10 minutes! Some of them are new....some are older. Those areas in general are very safe, but I can't speak to the individual apartment complexes - they are typically more susceptible to stuff like car break-ins, etc. Surely someone can recommend one of the complexes...

Like you've found, the apartment review sites don't give a balanced view - same with restaurant reviews, etc. They are dominated by people who experienced problems - real or imagined. It's human nature....people with an ax to grind will go to a lot of trouble to let everyone know. People who are satisfied tend to just go about their business without posting reviews.

[ckdub]

Originally Posted by JumpinJax

Hey everyone. I am moving from STL to Memphis next month for a new job opportunity. I have put a lot of time into searching for apartments in Memphis and it seems like I cannot get a good read on any of them. It seems like every time I think I've found a decent place I find that the reviews suggest otherwise. I am a 24 year old male that will be working off of 40 and whitten rd. My girlfriend is moving with me so safety is my main concern. I would also like the complex to be fairly new or updated with amenities.

I was originally looking at apartments in the suburbs but have read bad reviews on most of the reasonably priced ones (crime, bugs, management, etc). Now I know you can't judge a place solely on reviews but I don't want to risk regretting this move.

After reading some of the threads here it seems midtown and mud island are pretty safe bets.

Could anyone provide some specific complexes I should look at (suburbs or downtown)?

I would lprolly say my max budget is about 900-1000 if it was downtown. I don't know if I could justify spending that much in the suburbs though.

Places I have on my list currently:
Bartlett crossing
Country squire
The edge apartment homes
Crescent at wolf chase

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Definitely skip Bartlett Crossing, Country Squire is decent, The Edge would be good, and the Crescent would be good as well. You might also want to check out Appling Lakes Apartments in Cordova. They have very spacious floor plans and are reasonable. Good location, too.

I would focus your search in the Cordova area for apartments. There aren't many in Bartlett that are good. There are MANY small, cute rental houses, but not many safe apartments. Quail Ridge Apartments in Bartlett are excellent, but they are a little farther out.

I would not consider living downtown and commuting that far when there are great apartments near your workplace. Welcome to Memphis!

[JumpinJax]

Thank you everyone for the feedback! I am coming down for thanksgiving to check out some apartments. I'm strongly considering the reserve at dexter lake. Does anyone have any experience with the complex and management? It looks like a great place to live.

[ckdub]

The Reserve at Dexter Lake is a very nice apartment on busy Germantown Pkwy. That would be the only drawback for me, but you are also centrally located near any kind of store or restaurant you could want. Your commute to work would be short (10-15 minutes?), but you would have to battle the mass of cars during rush hour and on weekends on Germantown Pkwy.

You may also want to check out Park's Edge at Shelby Farms. They are also very nice apartments, but slightly tucked off of G'town Pkwy. It is also attached to Shelby Farms which is a great huge urban park/farm. They have tons of walking and riding trails, a greenline, lakes, fishing, etc.

I have never heard about problems at these places and they seem to be rated highly. They are a little more pricey, but updated and clean.

[My_home_town]

Welcome. While the Cordova area gets a bad rap for throngs of stores, restaurants and bars, I find it a plus. Granted it might not be wise to visit there on Black Friday, but otherwise, I like it. You probably want to be either in Bartlett or Cordova based on your work location. Unless you want a long commute that would be my recommendation.

Come on down and check out things. It will give you a better sense of it all.