Questions about Memphis (Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville: for sale, apartment complex, rentals)

[ferfer34]

Hi!
My fiance just got hired at the University of Memphis. We are a young couple and we know very little about the area. I am currently looking for a secondary teaching job. I have applied in Tipton County and have some interest in Munford. Does anyone know of any other areas with good schools or in need of teachers? I also coach volleyball. We don't want to live in the city, but have no idea about any other areas. We aren't looking to buy a house just having a rental however, we will want to buy in the future. For now does anyone have any advice on townhouses, duplexes, etc. in a good area? My fiance is also a long distance runner. Are there any good places to run; parks, forests, etc? Thanks for any help!

[MrsMichelle]

Tipton county is a hot area right now. A lot of people are moving from Shelby county to Tipton. Housing is reasonable and the schools are good. It's very small town, down home. There are parks and areas to run. If you want to rent in Munford, you had better start looking now. It's hard to find rentals. When they become available, they are swept up quick. Try looking online at the Millington Star for rentals.

Bartlett is very nice and a short commute to Munford. There are many parks and a rental would be easy to find or an apartment. Try looking on line for rentals on The Commercial Appeal web site.

[Kicking4JC]

It seems a lot of people forget about MS too, but I guess they try to when TN doesn't have state income taxes and MS does, but the thing is DeSoto schools are growing more and more every year to accomodate for the fleeing south from Memphis. DeSoto County is straight down I-55 with Southaven and Horn Lake 2 miles into the state and then 9 miles south is Hernando and then about 8 miles or so East of Southaven and Horn Lake is Olive Branch. All of them are part of the same school system, DeSoto County Schools.

The advice from Bartlett, I'd stay clear, it's still located in Shelby county.

Vicki

[TC500]

I have lived in the Memphis area for about 20 years and I don't even know where Tipton County is located. But there is a website called Great Schools that can give you a lot of information about the school system. From what I hear Mississippi is growing like crazy and lots of new schools are being built but I'm not sure if that includes high schools if that is what you meant by secondary. There are also plenty of private schools in Memphis if you want to avoid working in the public school system in Memphis/Shelby County.

[uofmwalton]

Well, I have trouble understanding how someone from Memphis for 20 years doesn't know that the county directly north of Shelby is Tipton. ...

Anyway, if your husband is going to work for the U of M, there are some great neighborhoods right around campus. Beautiful old homes. There is a emementary school on the campus as well. I'd stay in the area. Don't let some of these people scare you out of town.

[danarchy]

the company i was working for put me up in an apartment in memphis for a while, it was not too bad, was even out in bartlett in the supposid nicer area. the whole memphis area seemed dank smelly and gross, but my apartment was nice, and my car never got broken into or messed with. it did feel a little wierd being the only white person in the whole apartment complex though.

[TC500]

Originally Posted by uofmwalton

Well, I have trouble understanding how someone from Memphis for 20 years doesn't know that the county directly north of Shelby is Tipton. ...

Ok, I have seen Tipton county on the weather map during the news but I don't have a clue how to drive there nor do I have a reason for going. Maybe we are missing out.... There might be military people in Millington or those looking to escape annexation in Bartlett that are moving out there. But I really have not heard much of anything about living in Tipton County.

I would suggest that your finance drive from the UM campus to Tipton County to see if he could tolerate the commute. You may have to decide if a rural location is worth the drive. If you do decide to live near the campus, stay away from Orange Mound. It is a high crime area as you will read in the news. East Memphis and Midtown are near the campus but there is nothing the least bit rural about these areas.

Let us know what you decide. Lots of choices.

One more thing, it may sound silly but pay attention to the rr track. There are lots of trains in Memphis and the depot is near UM campus so trains are sometimes stuck on the track for a long time. Make sure you know of several routes to work if that happens otherwise you will be very late.

[JMSTiger]

Originally Posted by danarchy

the whole memphis area seemed dank smelly and gross, but my apartment was nice

You need to get out a little more, because the whole Memphis area is certainly not how you describe it. I live nearly in the center of the I-240 loop in the heart of the city (near the University of Memphis) and it is very beautiful. The city is full of beautiful neighborhoods (High Point Terrace, Red Acres, Chickasaw Gardens, Central Gardens, Evergreen, East Buntyn, Joffre and on and on and on). Many people who have never visited the city of Memphis automatically believe it is a hellhole because someone from Nashville or East Tennessee told them so. They have no clue. I don't know where you lived or where you went, but it sounds like you are either biased against the city or you hung out exclusively in the crap parts of town.

[memphisteach]

I moved to Memphis 15 years ago, and depending on what part of the country you are coming from there is a lot to learn. As for where to live it depends on what you want. If you want a rural, small town feel Tipton County or Munford would be great. If you want something more cosmopolitan, Midtown or East Memphis is great.

Bartlett, Germantown, and Collierville are the main suburban communities where people with school age kids tend to settle. There is something here called annexation. Basically it means that Memphis can extend its borders to any unincorporated area to increase its tax base. Many people don't like it because Memphis taxes are higher than in some of the surrounding towns and the schools are not considered good (although there are exceptions). Auto insurance rates in Memphis are also much higher than the surrounding towns.

Bartlett is incorporated, so annexation is not a problem.Germantown and Collierville are also incorporated. Cordova has recently been annexed and is part of Memphis and has many homes for sale. Midtown is near the U of M and is a nice community. The thing about Memphis is you can have one street with beautiful, expensive homes and one block over will be a neighborhood with a very high crime rate. Tipton County is still mostly rural, but many people are moving there because they believe that Memphis and Shelby County schools will eventually be consolidated, and they're afraid the quality of Shelby County schools will decline.

I would go to the Commercial Appeal (the local paper) website and read the websites of the local TV stations to understand some of the local politics. It will make for some very interesting reading, as we have some colorful characters here.

Teaching jobs: Shelby County pays well and has good schools. The City of Memphis would be great if you're used to an urban school system and the challenges it brings. Many private schools, too.

Hope that helps. good luck.

[memphisteach]

There are also a lot apartments in Cordova and it's a pretty easy commute to the U of M. Germantown has some nice duplexes and it's also a pretty direct commute. I don't know about cost, though. Both areas have a lot of shopping and restaurants. Cordova is a suburban sprawl-type area. Bartlett has an apartment complex near the Quail Ridge golf course that seems nice.

If you're interested in coaching competitive volleyball, there is Memphis Metro in Bartlett. If you google Memphis Metro, I think they have links to other teams. The Catholic schools all have volleyball teams beginning in grade 5. St. Benedict and St. Agnes are the two Catholic high schools with strong programs. Also, Harding Academy has an awesome program, as does SBEC in Mississippi.