Is there anything good about Memphis? (Bartlett, Germantown: home, rent, lease)

[Wut2do]

I am trying to find a reason for my husband to be able to take a job in Memphis, but everything I have read has been so negative. We live in East Tn. right now and have lived here all our lives. The comments I have found are not encouraging at all. They say the schools are awful and the racial tensions are high... things about annexation and being incorporated...so many things I can't mention them all. I am from a small town and I like small town living...and elbow room and nice people. I also have a son who is in high school and makes straight A's. I don't want to jeapordize anything for him. What are the best towns around Memphis that I might find these things?

[Pearlbob]

There are plenty of small, country towns around Memphis. Go east on I-40 or Hwy 64...they are all out there.

[Wut2do]

Thanks for the input. When I said that the schools were awful I don't mean awful teachers, faculty, etc.. I meant that I heard about problems with arrests, fights, and sex in the bathrooms. I believe this was in Shelby. Do you know anything about the schools?

[Pearlbob]

Eh, the teachers aren't that great either. A lot of schools actually hire high school grads to teach, giving them provisional licenses, because they can't find good college grads to teach. Seriously.

There is a big diff between Shelby County schools and Memphis City. Different school districts. Memphis City is horrid; Shelby Co is not as bad. Although, I know a lot of people with kids, who went to county schools themselves and say they have gotten way worse than when they were there.

Just don't send your kids to Memphis City schools. But if you are wanting to live in the burbs, or in the country like you were saying, this isn't an issue for you.

[tmpbme]

Don't do it! My husband and I live outside of Memphis in Desoto County, MS. We both work in Memphis and hate it. My husband came home today wanting to buy a gun. He was convinced that he came within minutes of being robbed today. He was in a company vehicle that wouldn't start and a guy began approaching his vehicle after roaming the area aimlessly. He had one of his hands in his pocket as if he were holding a gun and was looking around to make sure there was no one looking and traffic to pass. Luckily, my husband was paying attention to him early on and was able to escape the situation. My husband has been robbed three times at gunpoint and he is not stereotyping. One happened in Memphis and two in Florida. Hope this helps.

Tina

[ShekelsINtheTemple]

TMPbme
I live in FL...but used to live full time in Germantown.....Memphis is no doubt dangerous to some degree.....and yes, I had a concealed weapons permit and carried a gun in all of my cars...especially while driving a Benz through DT Memphis, AND my truck !

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by Wut2do

I am trying to find a reason for my husband to be able to take a job in Memphis, but everything I have read has been so negative. We live in East Tn. right now and have lived here all our lives. The comments I have found are not encouraging at all. They say the schools are awful and the racial tensions are high... things about annexation and being incorporated...so many things I can't mention them all. I am from a small town and I like small town living...and elbow room and nice people. I also have a son who is in high school and makes straight A's. I don't want to jeapordize anything for him. What are the best towns around Memphis that I might find these things?

If you are reading these forums then you already know the answer. All of us are repeating to people that if you want to move to the Memphis area try to move to Collierville, Germantown, Bartlett, or Desoto County.
Do your homework, based on the limited info you are providing us we can't add anything more to what is already on this forum.
Also remember the nature of this internet site tends to stress the negatives not the positives. You get that in the Memphis forum, the Atlanta forum, the Philedelphis forum. Don't let it scare you too much, some of it is exaggerated.
Hey I moved from East TN as well, I would move back to E. TN in a second but, hey, there are many many worse places than Memphis.
There is a post somewhere down that discusses the good points of Memphis - check it out.

[Pearlbob]

Seriously. People make it sound so much worse than it is. Carrying a gun around with you everywhere you go? Is this Gotham City? Please. If crime is that bad that people are potentially killing you on the streets and you need a gun, why does anyone live here? I wouldn't live in Memphis if crime was like that. I also don't live in the westwood area or orange mound or whatever. I live in a safe neighborhood. I don't see murders, drive by, gangs, etc in my neighborhood.

[North Pulaski Player]

Most cities with high crime rates still have some good parts, but not Memphis! There is nowhere in the city limits of Memphis that you can live in without having to worry about being murdered over 10 bucks. If you just have to work in Memphis, live in either Desoto County, MS, Bartlett, Germantown, or Collierville. If you prefer more of a small town feel, I'd suggest Arlington. I love Memphis' entertainment, but I would not live in the city limits of Memphis for anything!

[Pearlbob]

What? Dear god. Who writes this stuff? No where in the city limits is good and we all run the risk of being murdered over $10? Maybe you should swing by my neighborhood sometime and see how "dangerous" it is in Central Gardens. Watch out for those CEO's and doctors, they are dangerous!!!