North Jackson area (Pearl, Ridgeland, Brandon: for sale, real estate market, apartments)

[dal2aus]

I'm considering a job transfer to Jackson from Texas. From the boards, I can tell that Ridgeland/Madison are the more desirable places to live. I've been looking online and Ridgeland home prices seem a little out of reach for us right now. We're child-free (for now) professionals who like to live well below our means, so 200K for a house seems a little extravagant. Home prices in Madison seem a little better, but what's that commute like driving into Jackson in the AM rush hour? My new job will be just northwest of I-220 near County Line Road.

I've been looking online at homes in North Jackson, Area 4. It seems to be a mixed bag of well-built older homes and homes built within the past 5-10 years, and the prices seem reasonable. What's this area like in terms of quality of life? I keep hearing about how horrible the crime in Jackson is. Is this area as bad as the central city?

Also, what is the real estate market like? The relo pkg is good for a year, so one option we're considering is renting for a while and buying later. Has the real estate downturn hit yet? Are prices coming down significantly? Where I'm from, our real estate market never overheated, so while there's been a small contraction (2-3%), it's nothing like what you on the news in Florida or Arizona.

[auntbee]

I don't know where houses are cheaper in Madison than in Ridgeland, but it must not be a good area. There would probably be lots of traffic in the morning if you have to get on I-55 or HWY 51. I wouldn't recommend anywhere in Jackson. Not only is there crime all over the city, but taxes are higher in Hinds County. You might also consider the Reservoir area. The commute wouldn't be any worse than from Madison.

My son is a realtor and he says home prices are down 16% from last year. I am moving back down there and I've been looking for a house at the Reservoir or Brandon. The prices don't seem to be down any to me. I'm probably going to Pearl, but that would be too far away for you.

If you need to know about a specific area, just ask and if I don't know the answer, I'll ask my son.

Check the Clarion Ledger website for rental properties. That might be your best option until you decide where you want to live.

[jacksonian]

Now auntbee, there is not "crime all over [Jackson]." Generalizations like that are not only damaging but misleading.

Jackson, like any city of decent size, has its good and bad areas. Northeast tends to be more quiet with the more quality/character areas, such as Eastover, Fondren, Belhaven, etc. Contrary to popular belief, downtown Jackson is one of the safest areas in the entire metro area. I should know, I lived there for a year in an apartment with no problems at all and none for my 13 neighbors either. I would still live there if there were apartments for sale, but currently they are all for rent only, so I bought a house in Jackson in my favorite community/neighborhood. I got it for $143k and its 1520 s.f. and newly renovated.

If you are indeed looking for a good quality of life for relatively low costs, I would highly recommend looking into Fondren or Belhaven.

Fondren Renaissance Foundation
Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation - Jackson, MS 39202

[auntbee]

Originally Posted by jacksonian

Now auntbee, there is not "crime all over [Jackson]." Generalizations like that are not only damaging but misleading.

Jackson, like any city of decent size, has its good and bad areas. Northeast tends to be more quiet with the more quality/character areas, such as Eastover, Fondren, Belhaven, etc. Contrary to popular belief, downtown Jackson is one of the safest areas in the entire metro area. I should know, I lived there for a year in an apartment with no problems at all and none for my 13 neighbors either. I would still live there if there were apartments for sale, but currently they are all for rent only, so I bought a house in Jackson in my favorite community/neighborhood. I got it for $143k and its 1520 s.f. and newly renovated.

If you are indeed looking for a good quality of life for relatively low costs, I would highly recommend looking into Fondren or Belhaven.

Fondren Renaissance Foundation
Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation - Jackson, MS 39202

Sorry if you think I was misleading. I lived in Jackson for 25 years, but I would be afraid to live there now. I watch the local news every night and I have friends who live there.

[djax19]

Just my opinion, but I would rent for 6 months, then see where you want to go esp. without children to think of. Either Madison or Ridgeland would be nice and if you get here and have a good realtor show you around both areas, you will get a better feel for what area you want. I live in Rankin Co. but have lived in Ridgeland as well. My commute is only 20 min. and I consider that insignificant since I have lived in ATL and had 1-1/2 hr commute.

[Senor Boogie Woogie]

I lived in Jackson, Mississippi for a few years, and it is not a bad place. The "bad" places are on the west and south side, and honestly, there is no reason to go there unless you live there.

Northwest Jackson and Ridgeland are the best places to live if you want to be close to downtown, but expect a lot of traffic on Old Canton Rd and especially County Line Road, probably the busiest one mile of street in all of Mississippi. However, County Line has a good shopping mall, a Wal Mart, an excellent Tex-Mex place next to the Wal Mart.

The Jackson Metro has three counties, Madison, Hinds and Rankin. Madison is the county north of Hinds, with the city of Jackson more or less merging into Ridgeland. Ridgeland is a good place with a strict police force who is very proactive on crime. Madison is a town unto itself. Dont know much about it, but it seems like a white bread suburb. Rankin County is east of Jackson and is a growing suburbia with good shopping an amenities. However, it is a bit farther away from Jackson than Madison, but they are both about the same distance. Again, what sucks is the rush hour traffic going and leaving Jackson. Downtown is OK I guess, but I would be worried about property crime. There are some pretty neighborhoods in that area, and some expensive ones too.

Senor

[ASU55RR]

For where your working I would consider the area of Ridgeland behind Northpark Mall. Some smaller ranch style homes and Town houses around lake harbor and school street that shouldn't cost to much, and easy access to 55 and 220.

[dal2aus]

Thanks all for the insight. You too, Auntbee, although I can tell you have a significantly more negative view of the city than most. Based on your reviews, I have visions of muggings on every street and people afraid to leave their homes at night. Say it ain't so!

I really don't want to live in a sanitized suburb where everyone lives in their cars and you never see your neighbors. It's nice to know that there may be other alternatives. As for the taxes, they don't see to be that much lower in Madison Co. Correct if I'm wrong, but I think it will cost $300/each for us to register our cars there. I will never again complain about $60/year for registration here in TX. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'll now have to pay a state income tax and still have to pay property taxes and sales taxes but yet the state ranks low in education, health care and infrastructure. Where does the money go?

Here in Austin, the city has a cool factor that makes it more desirable, and more expensive, than the suburbs. The crime rate in the entire metro is lower than that of Jackson. I have to believe that in a city as old and rich in history as Jackson, that there are vibrant communities where professionals mix with artists and the artists can afford to live there without sacrificing personal safety.

[jacksonian]

I'm not sure exactly how much it will cost to register your car, but I do know that registration and tag prices in MS are notoriously high compared to most states. There have even been articles published on the subject.

Some people in the metro area are afraid of Jackson. Most of the fear comes from taking what is seen and heard on the 10 pm news, and applying it to the entire city of Jackson. It's hard to imagine that some take a single crime and spread it throughout a city of over 170,000 people, but it is a common mistake.

Jackson is no Austin, not yet anyways But it definitely has its artsy areas, yet they are not that expensive. The suburbs, generally, are more expensive here. And no, there are not muggings on every street in Jackson and you will not get slaughtered just because you live in Jackson. In fact, in my community, you can find people out walking their dogs or jogging at all times of the day, from 5 in the morning to past midnight.