I want the truth about moving to Memphis (Bartlett, Germantown: real estate, apartment complexes)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am a 25 year old, educated, caucasian single female. I'm moving to Memphis (from Lubbock, TX) to finish my Ph.D. and I need to find an apartment that is safe - at which I will not be burgled, vandalized, murdered, etc. I can be kind of a snob about "quality" with apartment buildings...and while I don't need something totally posh, I would prefer not to have roaches, spiders, rats, etc...or have scary neighbors. I was raised as a suburbanite, so that is the setting in which I am MOST comfortable...but I'm willing to try and live an urban lifestyle, too, if it's not going to get me killed.
I've spent dozens of hours online reading about Memphis, and reading apartment ratings and complaints and everything. As a result, I am now extremely confused. I just want someone to give me the skinny on where I should be looking. I've heard to look in Bartlett, Cordova, and Germantown...but then I've also heard that those places are becoming less safe?
Is it just a warzone up there, where constant vigilance is the name of the game? Or is it really not as bad as it seems with all the doom-and-gloom going online...and people can actually just exist normally? Because I'm quite frankly terrified to move there, even though I love to visit and have done so several times.
I don't know anyone in Memphis yet, so I'm essentially moving up there completely alone and need to have my facts straight. Can someone just be honest and not sugar-coat or over-dramatize things for me?
No one has ever said the suburbs are becoming less safe. Germantown and Collierville are about as good as it gets. Cordova is basically not a suburb anymore; majority of it has been incorporated into the city of Memphis.
Downtown is also very safe, and the most 'urban' area of the city. If you want to be around bars, restaurants, walking distance to things. The island of Harbortown is like a suburb within the city; it's a short drive to the core of downtown, and is a yuppie type of new area with expensive zero lot line homes and some upscale apartments. Lots of young professionals.
I personally dislike the suburbs, but if that's what you're most comfortable with, go with it. Just please don't think those are the only "safe" places to live in Memphis, or anywhere else for that matter. Case in point: I lived in a very small town growing up, and moved to a small town to go to college, and moved to a slightly larger town (60,000 people) after college before moving here for grad school. There were several murders, lots of robberies, and lots and lots of vandalism in all of those places (and this was in Arkansas, not a war-torn country).
My apartment is in Midtown, which you might not be comfortable with (38104) but it is very nice and doesn't have roaches or bugs or rodents. It also doesn't have a dishwasher, has the laundry room in the basement, and is big and drafty. I love living here, but if those things are important to you, the burbs or, as Pearlbob suggested, Harbortown, might be the best. I have a friend who lives at The Reserve at Dexter Lake, and loves it. Not my scene, but she likes it, and she's around our age. I think it's technically in Cordova.
People online are way too whiny about all the crime. It is NOT a warzone. Like I said, I live in Midtown, which is a very diverse area, and although I'm from a small town, I know where not to go. But I've never felt uncomfortable walking around Midtown; in fact, the only time I've ever been aggressively panhandled was Downtown by FedEx Forum! Don't go walking around South memphis or Frayser at 2 in the morning carrying fistfuls of cash, and you'll be fine.
So, basically, it's not a war-zone, and although you might be more comfortable in the suburbs, it could be nice to get out your comfort zone. PM me if you have any addresses or anything you want info on; also, I go to the U of M and I'm a grad student too, so hit me up if you have any questions!
This color coded map is a pretty good representation of the "safer" areas of Memphis. Might be a good reference point to start out with. Sticky: Map of Memphis Neighborhoods
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicislife5685
Is it just a warzone up there, where constant vigilance is the name of the game? Or is it really not as bad as it seems with all the doom-and-gloom going online...and people can actually just exist normally? Because I'm quite frankly terrified to move there, even though I love to visit and have done so several times.
Some vigilance is necessary, always good to be aware of your surroundings in any unfamiliar area. If you are at all familiar with cities and have any kind of street savvy you will probably be able to to tell if you've crossed into a "bad area" in Memphis. Most people don't have reason to go into those areas so it's not really a problem for the majority of folks.
A lot of the crime you read about in Memphis is drug and/or gang related. Again, not really much of a problem if you aren't involved in that lifestyle.
My DD is about your age, living alone in east Memphis and I don't worry too much about her safety. (But... she is a Memphis native knows most of the areas to stay away from.) I worry more that she will be the victim of some crazy Memphis driver than that she will be the victim of a random act of violence.
Do your research, and use common sense when going into an unknown area, just like you would in in any other city. You should be fine.
These are all wonderful suggestions and great advice. Thank you all so much for responding. It's nice to hear something rational.
Pearlbob, I should have clarified. I didn't read on here that the suburbs were coming less safe. I read that a few times in a few other places, though I can't remember specifically offhand. It's good to hear that they aren't. My mom and I were driving all around Memphis in early January (it was snowing! ) and there wasn't really anywhere we passed that I would have been immediately frightened of... but the reading online put doubt in my mind.
DubbleT, I'll have to share your response with my mom. She'll probably feel better after reading that. Also, thanks for the map!
Would you guys go so far as to say that Memphis is essentially like any other city? As long as you use common sense and stay out of areas you ought not be in, there shouldn't be any trouble?
dear music, it seems as if you have a good rule of thumb. naturally, there are cities that are going to be safer than the 25 largest cities in the u.s. most will not argue that omaha, olympia, or boise are going to have less crime and the liklihood of violent crime, regardless of their size. too, i don't believe anyone in their right mind would walk in the worst areas of the top 25 cities in america. as "they" say, we all have our warts. to conclude, if i had a choice between the stroll on the southside of chi town and tutwiler, lamer, or vollintine in memphis, i would, hands down, take the memphis walk using caution. the same is true w/ southwest l.a., jamaica plains in new york city, among many other areas, and memphis over east st. louis. detriot, philadelphia, and miami come to mind also, long before memphis.
when you think about it, what smart person is going to go strolling in any large unknown urban area?
Hello Music, my wife is a PHD student at the U of M and we just moved in August. I think a good place to look if you want to stay in Memphis, but have a more suburban feel is the 38120 zip. There are some pretty nice apartment complexes in this area and very convenient to the U of M. As others have said the center of Memphis is mostly very nice and much less crime. It is the northern and southern areas that have the bigger crime issues. For the most part you should be able to avoid these areas.
When you move you'll find that the whole "Memphis reputation" is over exaggerated. Any dumba$$ can come online and post nonsense these days. I've seen it all over this website in other city forums as well. If I were you, I would go to Revid Realty's website. They're a good local real estate company located here in Memphis that have some apartment properties. As far as locations you'll probably want to stay, I'd go with downtown, mudisland(which is located in downtown also), midtown, and East Memphis. Suburbs are fine as well. Some good apartments that I personally know of are the Reserve at Dexter Lake, that's in Cordova. The Gilmore, which is in Midtown, is really nice and has good MGMT. Stay away from The Stratum on Highland. That place sucks and MGMT is awful. Stay away from The Bristol as well. These 2 look nice on the outside but are horrible b/c of MGMT issues.
I live in Illinois, but just love visiting Memphis!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $53,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
