Any place for a Yankee?? (Memphis, Bartlett: renting, bad credit, hotel)

[longislandnomore]

We currently live on Long Island, NY. Very high taxes. $8000 a year for a 1100 square foot house on a postage stamp size piece of property. We are a mixed race family, White/Hispanic. Planning a move within 2 years. Any suggestions? We have been concentrating on the Memphis area.

[Darkseid]

If you have that much time, I would suggest visiting on more than one occasion if possible.

I would also recommend visiting both during tourist times (e.g. Memphis in May) where there is a lot of fun and then again on a random non-tourist-heavy occasion (preferably not on a weekend with the purpose of experiencing a "regular work day" in Memphis). This should give you a pretty good feel for what Memphis is really like. During each stop, you should personally visit several neighborhoods that by that time you should have already been researching (e.g. Harbortown, Midtown, Olive Branch, MS, Collierville, etc) - depending on what fits your family's particular needs and desires. Visit the potential schools. Talk to people in the local communities (you would be surprised at the friendliness and willingness to talk). See what Downtown Memphis is like both when there are and when there are not a lot of tourists. Catch a Grizzlies game. Sample some of the local cuisine in Overton Square

Of course there are pros and cons to any place you go. You will no doubt be pleased for example that your dollar will go much further in Memphis than in the New York area, the relative lack of traffic problems and love the friendliness, but may not like the relative lack of diversity (especially when compared to NYC area) or the lack of transit oriented development. I'm just throwing out common examples here, and not discussion points, but the point here is to see and experience a city for yourself - and on more than one occasion, if possible, given that you have about 2 years.

Depending on what is possible for you, I would say that 3-4 visits over the next couple of years would more than suffice.

[ckdub]

Darkseid had some great advice... Yes, there is a place for you here! My family moved from upstate NY when I was a kid, and we were extremely happy with the change. Yes, the tax difference is unbelievable! There are pros and cons when it comes to giving up that kind of tax base, like how it impacts school quality, but generally, our quality of life was MUCH improved.

Can you tell us more about what your property price point would be? Then, we could steel you to areas of town that would be feasible.

[jmjordan]

It will really just depend on what you're looking for here.

In short - if you're looking for no income taxes, cheap property tax, good schools - family things like that - along with nice weather, you should enjoy it here.

If you're looking for a progressive city with diverse, open minded people, or you're looking for a city with a lot of "energy," or any type of culture - you may not like it here. Also, if you want to be able to take trips to other cities - not so much for Memphis - it's pretty geographically isolated, especially compared to NY.

Basically, Memphis is 30 years behind the rest of the US. This isn't always bad, but for someone young like me (25) that can be challenging. But, the Grizzlies are a lot of fun (the shining start for me)!

[jabogitlu]

I'm going to offer a fairly new resident (~1 year here) viewpoint.

What do you mean by family? Kids? That may really change the picture. My husband and I are in our mid-20s, no kids, live in Midtown and Memphis is accommodating - fun, lots of events (not tons of "national" stuff, but there's always a lot of fun events going on), a few really good, and many decent restaurants, pretty affordable to live here (we have very modest incomes), etc.

We probably do not view Memphis as our forever home. There are many issues in the community. Memphis has questionable spending policies at the municipal level. The city itself seems to be 20 years behind the progressive social communities that are here. I repeat, the government is TERRIBLE. But the government is not the only aspect of Memphis, even when you're a resident. Also, the schools here are not great. There are many dedicated teachers that I know here, but kids can face a lot of issues here in Memphis. There are some good schools, but they are overwhelmingly private and in upper-middle to upper-income areas.

Memphis is going to get better, in my opinion, but it's a long time horizon. There are stirrings at the school level (Memphis city schools were taken over by Shelby County). Community groups are pressing the city for changes and having some impact. I repeat, some. Long-term, if the Memphis economy can hold on, the city seems to be positioning itself for a more progressive arc. (Memphis Greenprint, downtown TIGER grant, redeveloping 1950s-60s housing projects with mixed-income developments, along with industrial job growth, etc.) Home prices in Frayser, one of the worst city neighborhoods, are rising very quickly. (A lot of this is investors renting to bad credit renters. Still, higher property values is a very good thing for cash-strapped Memphis.)

To summarize, if you're able to purchase good education, enjoy an old-school Southern city, or don't have kids and don't plan to, Memphis might be alright for you. If you have kids or will soon, or don't want to stick roots in a community that might take decades to realize a better "vision," visit Memphis to find out how you feel about it. (Well, either way - visit Memphis! Enjoy some barbecue, listen to some blues, come to a University of Memphis football game, visit Overton Park, go to Wolfchase Mall, head up to Meeman-Shelby State Forest, go to the South Main district, go to Olive Branch, ...)

[eastmemphisguy]

Memphis is pretty simple. It just depends on where your interests lie. The small Downtown is the only truly urban part of town. Midtown has cute old houses and the funky/liberal/artsy types. Postwar East Memphis is very clean and preppy with lots of big houses and big office buildings as well. Also, the most centrally located area within the larger metro area. Cordova is the most generic suburban area possible, for better or worse. Germantown and Collierville are like East Memphis but newer and without the office buildings. Very quiet, safe, and conservative. Bartlett and DeSoto have more of a country/blue collar feel and are often more affordable than comparable properties in East Memphis, Germantown, or Collierville.

[ckdub]

[quote=jmjordan;31475461]"It will really just depend on what you're looking for here.
If you're looking for a progressive city with diverse, open minded people, or you're looking for a city with a lot of "energy," or any type of culture - you may not like it here. Also, if you want to be able to take trips to other cities - not so much for Memphis - it's pretty geographically isolated, especially compared to NY."



I respectfully totally disagree... Memphis has a broad base of rooted southern culture that is rich with history. There is everything from the fine arts to down-home cultural sensibilities. Memphis is one of the best food and music cities in the country. It is not NYC, but not many cities are!

Also, Memphis is 6 hours from NOLA, 3 from Nashville, 4.5 to St. Louis, etc. It is not geographically isolated. We are on a major east-west thoroughfare with I-40.

[Darkseid]

Originally Posted by ckdub

Also, Memphis is 6 hours from NOLA, 3 from Nashville, 4.5 to St. Louis, etc. It is not geographically isolated. We are on a major east-west thoroughfare with I-40.

Well, I think I know what 'jmjordan' meant by "isolated". New York City (which is where the OP is from) is only 20 minutes from Newark, 2 hours from Philly, 3 hours from Boston, 1 hour to New Haven, CT and 4 hours to DC.

Washington, DC is only 45 minutes from Baltimore, 1.5 hrs from Richmond, VA and Wilmington, DE, 2 hours from Philly, 3 hours from Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads area and 4 hours from NYC. In the time it takes to drive from Memphis to St Louis, one could pass Baltimore, Wilmington, Philly, Newark and New York City traveling from DC.

None of this is meant as a slam on Memphis, but just an explanation of what is likely meant by "isolated".

[ckdub]

Sure, I understand... I would just consider Memphis far from isolated. Major New England cities are kind of in their own geographical league when it comes to accessibility to other major cities.

[Darkseid]

Originally Posted by ckdub

Sure, I understand... I would just consider Memphis far from isolated. Major New England cities are kind of in their own geographical league when it comes to accessibility to other major cities.

I understand your point. I was just pointing out that when compared to New York, (where the OP is from) Memphis is indeed isolated.

These terms we use to describe and compare cities ("progressive", "exciting", "conservative", "vibrant", "eclectic") are all relative and based upon our own experiences.

For example, I remember a New Yorker getting irritated with me years ago because I told him that the hotel (in Memphis) he was staying in was "not far" from the venue he was attending. In his mind, "not far" meant that he could walk. In my mind it meant that he could take a 10 minute drive down the street. (Also keep in mind that you can go pretty far in 10 minutes in Memphis)

He came to me when he arrived and said, "Man you told me it was right down the street! This is far from the hotel! You Southerners think that 5 miles (it was more like 2) is 'not far'!"

We got a good laugh out of it later, but the bottom line is that it is all a point of view.