Relocating to DeSoto Cnty, MS- Need Help (Jackson, Southaven: apartment complex, rental)

[ragincajun73]

I'll be moving to DeSoto in April of 09...I'll be attending college there before moving on to Oxford...need some advice on a few things...
1. What's the commute time from Southaven/Olive Branch to Oxford?
2. Is it better to reside in Southaven, Olive Branch, or across the border in Marshall County?
3. What are rental rates like for 1 bedroom apts in this area?
4. How does the overall cost compare with, say, South Louisiana (Laf. or Baton Rouge)?
5. Would Hernando be a better option?
6. How's the job market in Memphis?

New to this group and I'm looking forward to hearing back from some of you.

[Phil75230]

It's been a dozen years since I lived in Memphis (Midtown area, near U of Memphis), but I think this advice is still rerasonably reliable

Originally Posted by ragincajun73

I'll be moving to DeSoto in April of 09...I'll be attending college there before moving on to Oxford...need some advice on a few things...
1. What's the commute time from Southaven/Olive Branch to Oxford?

From Olive Branch, about an hour. Add about 15 or 20 minutes if you're in Southaven

2. Is it better to reside in Southaven, Olive Branch, or across the border in Marshall County?

It depends on where you can find an apartment Southaven, or perhaps even Hernando (further down the interestate) will have more of them

3. What are rental rates like for 1 bedroom apts in this area?

That, I don't know exactly, but I presume a decent one will run you at least $500 per month.

4. How does the overall cost compare with, say, South Louisiana (Laf. or Baton Rouge)?

I lived in Jackson and Memphis, and I can tell you that cost of living will not be substantially different. I presume Lafayette won't be all that much different from the Memphis area

5. Would Hernando be a better option?

See above. Hernando is growing quickly, as I'm sure you know. Less crime there. So if you're thinking about Ole Miss, it might be better...probably less traffic on the way from Hernando to Hwy 78 (the route you'll probably take to get to Oxford)

6. How's the job market in Memphis?

Not a bad place to be if you're a college student - plenty of low wage jobs. But if you're looking to start a high paying career, your prospects are better than in Louisiana, but not by a whole lot. My advice is to attend college in the Memphis area, perhaps find an internship there, but expect to have to go to Nashville, Atlanta, or the big Texas cities to pursue a career

New to this group and I'm looking forward to hearing back from some of you.[/quote]

[ragincajun73]

Thanks Phil (75230)...appreciate the help. Sounds kinda like what I figured. And yeah, I am prepared to move to ATL or Birmingham after graduating, but I think I'll like North Miss. in the short term. I guess I need check out Hernando again.

[DaisyFay]

Like Phil, it has been a while (6 years) since I lived in North MS. But before we left, I lived there for 13 years, so maybe I can help.

My husband and I split the commute between Memphis (his job) and Oxford (my school) by living in Senatobia, a small town of about 5,000 on the southern border of Tate County, just south of DeSoto County. Senatobia is home to the main campus of Northwest Community College, so there are some apartments there, though not as many as in Hernando and Southaven. Not sure about the rents, but I think $500 may be a little low. When we were there, a friend of mine lived in a 2-BR apt and paid $950/mo. And that was 6 years ago. Definitely peruse Apartments.com and other such sites - most of the apt complexes in this area can be found there.

The commute to Oxford from Senatobia (south on I-55, then East on HWY 6) was 40 minutes, with little to no traffic. Hernando adds about 10-15 minutes, depending on how far you are from the interstate. Southaven, about another 10-15. From Olive Branch, you'd likely take HWY 78 to HWY 7 and come into Oxford from the North (although I know that there are MANY backroads that could circumvent that route). No idea on the time-factor there. Way-back-when (I actually graduated high school in Oxford and then went on to Ole Miss before marrying and moving to Senatobia), it took about 1 hour and 15 minutes that way from Oxford to Southeast Memphis. Obviously, it would be shorter to Olive Branch.

Agree with Phil that the job market depends on your particular career, but Memphis isn't a strictly blue-collar town. In certain fields, you can find many high-paying jobs there. That being said, the area, in general, leans toward manual labor b/c of its "distribution hub" reputation.

If you don't mind, I'll give you some of my personal opinions - and you can take or leave them as you want.

Oxford is a BEAUTIFUL town. I absolutely loved living there. While it has grown tremendously in recent years, it still has that "small, Southern town" charm- you will not walk down a sidewalk on the Ole Miss campus without someone smiling at you and saying, "Hi." And, it is important to remember that Oxford is synonymous with Ole Miss - there is no separating the two. The vast majority of people in Oxford are affiliated in some way with the university.

Memphis is a gritty, real-life kind of town. And I say "town" b/c even though it is the large city in the region, you get to know people (at least in your area) very quickly. People who live in Memphis are the kind of people you see in the Chevy Truck "America Working" commercials. They work hard and they play hard. They are passionate about college football - even if they didn't go to college. And don't even get them started on debating the best BBQ (unless you are prepared to sit for hours listening to the merits of wet v. dry ribs!) This isn't to say that Memphis doesn't have its issues. There is crime - there are certain areas you just do go into - ever. But several years ago, the City began a campaign to bring back the downtown area and it has worked. I guess what I'm trying to impart is that Memphis isn't all bad, and I know many people who would never dream of leaving.

Oh, two suggestions:
If you want pizza in Memphis, go to Colletta's on East South Parkway - their BBQ pizza is AMAZING! And when you're in Oxford, go to The Beacon on North Lamar for really good food on a student budget.

Good Luck - and thanks for letting me take this trip down memory lane!

[Thriftygal]

I just want to comment on rental rates. Expect to pay at least $600 for a decent apartment, if not more. I pay $900 for a 2 bed/2 bath. There is only 1 apartment complex in Hernando that I know of, it is called the Magnolias. Apartments.com is a great resource, but their pictures can be deceiving.

[Southaven Resident]

Originally Posted by ragincajun73

I'll be moving to DeSoto in April of 09...I'll be attending college there before moving on to Oxford...need some advice on a few things...
1. What's the commute time from Southaven/Olive Branch to Oxford?
2. Is it better to reside in Southaven, Olive Branch, or across the border in Marshall County?
3. What are rental rates like for 1 bedroom apts in this area?
4. How does the overall cost compare with, say, South Louisiana (Laf. or Baton Rouge)?
5. Would Hernando be a better option?
6. How's the job market in Memphis?

New to this group and I'm looking forward to hearing back from some of you.

Do not rent at oakridge apartments, I have been here for two years and there have been Four Deaths three to four shootings , Poor managment it gets worse from there , we have had the police tell use we need to move.