Buying a House in Midtown/East Memphis -- Area Advice Needed, Please. (Jackson: hardwood floors, for sale)

[heather21365]

This is still a bit in the future, but I am considering buying a house when my lease is up next spring. I've already decided I do not want to continue living in Cordova, and I'm strongly considering Midtown/East Memphis (still pretty flexible about area). Though I've lived in Memphis my whole life, and I know a lot of the "obvious" areas to avoid, I don't know a lot about the intricacies of Midtown or "old" East Memphis. Could you guys look at some of these houses for sale and tell me how the area is in terms of general safety and long-term desirability?

Thanks in advance

Charming Midtown Home (http://memphis.craigslist.org/reb/889004105.html - broken link) -- 700 Holly Street

Beautiful 4 Bedroom 2 Bath Home W/ Hardwood Floors (http://memphis.craigslist.org/reb/886419016.html - broken link) -- 1215 Merrycrest, 38111

2234 OLIVER ST, MEMPHIS, TN, 38104 - MLS ID#3152920 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38104-1103107898/ - broken link) -- 2234 Oliver Street, 38104

884 N BARKSDALE ST, MEMPHIS, TN, 38107 - MLS ID#3145234 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38107-1100658553/ - broken link) -- 884 N. Barksdale, 38107

[Pearlbob]

My kind of question! First of all, great decision!

The one on Holly, while gorgeous inside, is in a bad area. I would never slow my car down while driving thru there. Before Sam Cooper was built, I remember driving down Summer every morning on my way to work and passing the strip clubs and very shady people wandering all hours of the day. It's an area that is near million dollar homes (across East Parkway) but literally once you cross East Parkway, especially up north of Summer, it get real rough.

The Merrycrest one is pretty south of Park, south of UM...which isn't a great area. I don't think buying in that area would be a very good idea.

The place on Oliver is great. The good part - you are right on Cooper Young. The bad part - you are right at Cooper Young. I believe Oliver is the street next to Celtic Crossing, which has cars lines up and down all night, every night, plus the bands, the loud music, drunk people, people blocking your driveway, trying to park up on your yard... But the area is fine.

Barksdale is okay further south, but that particular house is way too far north. North of Jackson! Bad area. It's too bad, as you can see there are very nice old homes in that area.

[Pearlbob]

I should add some more helpful info for picking areas of midtown....it's impossible to give a generalization, since a good block can back up to a bad one, but...

You want to stay north of Central. For safety, and because of the trains.
South of North Parkway or at least no more than a few blocks north of it.
West of East Parkway, especially in Cooper Young and definitely west up further north by Rhodes/the zoo.
East of Cleveland, preferably 2 blocks east.

[heather21365]

Thanks Pearlbob! This is exactly what I was looking for, I have always loved Midtown, but my experience has always been as a visitor.

The house on Holly is too gorgeous for words -- I drove past it once, on a recent Saturday, and the street was holding a neighborhood yard sale. There were kids running around, and everything looked peaceful. You're right though, a street or two over looked shady, and I did have doubts about it.

Can you tell me about a few others?

I'm guessing this one is too good to be true:
889 N MCLEAN BLVD, MEMPHIS, TN, 38107 - MLS ID#3149313 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38107-1101982603/ - broken link)

1449 W FLAMINGO RD, MEMPHIS, TN, 38117 - MLS ID#3134544 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38117-1097145989/ - broken link)

1075 MARCIA RD, MEMPHIS, TN, 38117 - MLS ID#3156823 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38117-1104426325/ - broken link)

4637 CROSSOVER LANE, Memphis, TN, 38117 - MLS ID#3155915 - Single Family Home Real Estate - REALTOR.com® (http://www.realtor.com/realestate/memphis-tn-38117-1104087695/ - broken link)
(okay, I know that one needs work, but humor me)

Thanks so so much!

[Pearlbob]

McLean -it's cute, but again north of Jackson. ANything zip 38107 is probably in a bad area. Some of it further south is "revitalizing" but it's still iffy. It depends on what you consider "safe."

Flamingo - I'm not sure. It's towards Hickory Hill, which has been going down quickly. Some areas are holding their value, however I would think at that price ($128k) the area would be declining. Unfortunately that's not a lot of money to buy safety in Memphis.

Marcia - is further north, so is probably a better area. Near Park/Perkins, which is a good area. The price of the home is noticably higher too, for about the same size house in what appears to be the same condition. That's probably because it's further north towards Park.

Crossover - again, it's more north so is probably better.

I don't have as much knowledge about east Memphis, although the basics apply there just as in midtown...the further south, the worse off.

[Bowyer]

I like the area in east Memphis that is roughly south of Summer, north of Poplar, East of Perkins and west of Yates. Closer to the center is probably a bit safer. There are homes in this area that may need some work, but will probably apreciate well down the road, IMO.

Here is one example on a nice street where lots of young people are fixing up their homes, having families and living in, not renting.
4945 Normandy Lane - Memphis, TN 38117 Details of Property Real Estate for Sale

Good luck!

[eleven.]

I'm with Bowyer... That area is the perfect intersection of safety, community, and affordability in the Memphis market. It's a very active area for renovations and updates- and that's what you want around you to secure your investment. Two thumbs up!

[Pearlbob]

There is also an area called Joffre (Strum, i remembered the name this time!) that is located in eastern Memphis, but south of Poplar, a bit west of Highland (far enough away from UM), and north or south of Central. It is near the mansions of the exclusive Chickasaw area, but has much more modest homes at nice prices. Think like around Central/Greer, Central/Alexander.

Don't get frustrated, there are plenty of homes in midtown for the $140k-ish price, but you have to really search for the ones that are the safest and will retain value and safety. East Memphis is much more set in stone. I'm not exactly sure why; I think midtown is an area that was almost defunct many years ago, and has been wonderfully revitalized - unfortunately you still see some bad parts here and there. That hasn't happened in east Memphis.

[stubbsie]

My home is for sale, is in Joffree area on Greer St. Beautifully renovated 1940 wood frame house, nestled under huge oak trees, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, with 2 bathrooms, less than $159K (that is what other homes on my street are selling for). Great neighbors, fenced backyard, security, appliances new, roof new. The area my house is in is still relatively safe.
I love my house, just that Memphis is becoming like Detroit, full of crime and corruption everywhere, and as the mayor says "if you don't like it here, get out" which is just what I have done. Wish I could just pick up the house and move it out of town.
Take note of the fact that major businesses are NO longer moving to Memphis, Harrah's has just left (300 employees out of work).
Crime and political corruption has gotten out of hand in Memphis and it will bleed the average Memphis taxpayer to the point of forcing them to leave.

Regards,
Miss my house, but not Memphis

[2nomadic4me]

heather21365:

Pearlbob is the moderator that probably knows the most about Memphis and respect them for that (I am only a Junior Member). That house on Flamingo is closer in towards Parkway Village. My dad lived on Cristil St. just south of where Knight Arnold and Mendenhall meet and that is a really unsafe area! That part of Flamingo is over by American Way and Perkins...I think there was a shooting over there a week ago...safe? Nope. That is north Parkway Village. I would never EVER buy a house there.
Hickory Hill is bordered by 385 on the north, Shelby drive on the south, Mendenhall on the west, and Memphis city limits on the east.