Is Mud Island worth the extra cost? (Memphis, Bartlett: rent, crime)

[Pearlbob]

And is the one on Dickinson up north?? in 38107? That's not even midtown, that's more or less north Memphis. NOT safe. It's just a couple houses down from Jackson. !!

I wonder if this rental company you are working with is really understanding your wishes for safety in the neighborhood.

[pixiepony]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Canceling that one now! My son would love the trains, however, the rest of us would HATE it! I hate trains.

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

I found the one on Manila that you're talking about, on craigslist. No way that I would recommend that, it's near some very rough areas. Take a better drive thru that area and look at the surrounding streets. That house is literally on the border of "Cooper Young." I would not consider it to be CY myself, really. Not to mention the highly active train tracks in the backyard

[Pearlbob]

Both of those are unsafe. You need to discuss your situation with this realty company a bit better, if this is what they are showing you. And definitely ask for advice on here. Realtors are out for $$$ so they don't care too much about your own safety. We're free on here

Originally Posted by pixiepony

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Canceling that one now! My son would love the trains, however, the rest of us would HATE it! I hate trains.

[pixiepony]

I'm guessing they dont have a clue! If that's a bad one, I'll cancel it all together. See what I mean about how frustrating it is. If they dont call me back, they send me places I'd never consider! I specifically said Midtown!!! Looks like I'll be back in Oct to view more places. Doubt I'm gonna find anything next weekend...

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

And is the one on Dickinson up north?? in 38107? That's not even midtown, that's more or less north Memphis. NOT safe. It's just a couple houses down from Jackson. !!

I wonder if this rental company you are working with is really understanding your wishes for safety in the neighborhood.

[Pearlbob]

Well, some people consider that to be midtown. If their listings have to be "coded" with an area, that would be coded midtown. But that is not midtown as midtowners see it. 38104, 38112 is midtown. And even those zips have plenty of unsafe areas.

Like I said, if you found an entire 3/2 house on the island in your price range, I'd take that immediately. Sounds like safety is #1 to you, and if you'll be alone at night with small children, the island is going to be your best bet out of the choices. You can always stay a year and then move elsewhere if you decide the island is not for you. By then you'll be able to come up with your own judgements on other areas.

[pixiepony]

That is very true!

Once we are there next week I will have a much better picture. I know we all have different views of safety. I have lived in areas that some would consider very unsafe, yet I wasnt as concerned. But I also had a husband home every night! Now that his new job will require him to work any hour of the day/night, it's different. But still my idea of safe may differ from others on here.

Here's a question... is there a detailed map of crime stats somewhere? I was trying to find one yesterday. You know, the kind that list the type of crime and where it was commited? That would give me a good idea as I look at addresses and neighborhoods as to what goes on there or very near by.

[UofMGrad92]

https://crimemapper.memphispolice.or...pper/index.cfm

This is the Memphis Police Departments site, and it gives a pretty good overview.

If you want to live in Memphis and safety is a real issue (as it should be), I would not rent in Midtown until you have spent a few months in town. There are lots of really nice areas in Midtown, but you really need to get a feel for the area by driving through it at various times and talking to folks in town. It might look fine from the outside, but it could be really close to a bad area or even in a bad area.

If safety was my primary concern, I would pick Mud Island over Midtown. Not because Midtown isn't safe in many areas, but because Mud Island is safe in general and Midtown is a bit iffier. If you can make it work for six months in a lease on Mud Island, you will have time to sort through the Midtown locations you like and make an informed choice.

All that being said, with your budget you might also want to consider Bartlett or Olive Branch. Both are reasonably close for commuting to the airport for your husband and for getting to a doctor or hospital for your medical issues (Bartlett has a small hospital-St. Francis). I don't know if you will be able to find a rental house under $1000.00 on Mud Island, but I feel confident you could in Bartlett or Olive Branch. You would be in generally safe areas (just make sure you get in the Bartlett City limits if you pick Bartlett..I'd recommend somewhere near Altruria and Stage Road as a place to look that has older housing stock in safe areas where rents would be reasonable), and you could use this as a base to search for your ideal location in Midtown.

[UofMGrad92]

FYI...Vollentine-Evergreen and Cooper-Young are tricky places. I am from Memphis and I'm not really certain where they begin and end and what are the good or up and coming areas. I'd slow roll a decision on those areas for sure.

Another area to consider would be between White Station (or more accurately I-240 south of I-40) and Highland south of Sam Cooper Blvd. If you don't go to far south, the houses are cheaper and would likely have lower rents. You would be bordering on some really high dollar areas, and the areas that are questionable (although not really bad by Memphis standards) are separated from you by the interstate style Sam Cooper.

[TonyBlaz]

I live on Harbert and Melrose in Midtown. I love it over here and the neighbors watch out for each other. There are a few houses over here that are for rent but they don't advertise them, you just have to drive down the street to find them. I rent my house from a long time family friend. My house will be on the market in about 2-3 months when a apartment becomes available on Peabody in Midtown about 2-3 mins from where I live now. I kicked out all of my roommates since they stopped paying rent and there no since in having the house even though I love it. Little to big for just me!

I lived on Mud Island also. My parents live in Harbor Town facing the Mississippi River and I lived in Riverset Apartments for 2 years. I like it over there also.

I like it better in Midtown than on Mud Island. There's security that drives down the streets and if your gone you can let them know and they will check on your house, they do when I travel for my job. MPD also drives up and down the streets and they even spotlight houses while they drive sometimes to make sure there's no one messing around(i've talked to a cop to see what he was doing and he told me). Mud Island is safer but there's crime everywhere.

[JoeCartpath]

Originally Posted by TonyBlaz

There's security that drives down the streets and if your gone you can let them know and they will check on your house

That's not true in all of Midtown...only in Central Gardens where the residents pay for a private security firm....