Looking for a great community (Mobile, Daphne: sales, 2015, crime rates)

[Moving South in 2015]

My family and I plan on moving to South Alabama in early 2015. Already have a job lined up at Arcelormittal in Calvert, we just need to figure out the best place to raise a young family. We love the Gulf Shores but have no interest in dealing with the destructive powers of hurricanes. We are considering the Bay Minette, Spanish Fort, Saraland or Satsuma areas. I am not afraid of a 1 hour drive to work everyday if the commnity/home is perfect for my family. I would love to get some insight on the best communities for my family and I. Important factors for us - crime rates, schools & newer homes.

Price range for a home is around $250,000 and we would really like a home with a minimum of 3 acres - maximum of 20 acres. Thank you

[southernnaturelover]

Saraland or Satsuma will be your best bet. Saraland city schools are pretty good from what I hear, and they have a very nice brand new high school.

No way would I drove from Spanish Fort to Calvert everyday. Bay Minette is doable, but there's really nothing there to make it any more desirable than Saraland.

[PortCity]

West Mobile,Semmes, Dawes area or Saraland would be a great fit for you.

[Ohio1803]

I would avoid Spanish Fort. The schools in Spanish Fort are mediocre at best, along with the rest of Baldwin County schools. Several school administrators, including the principal, were openly trying to encourage students, and parents alike to vote yes to the penny tax, using school time to do it. If you decided to move to Spanish Fort, or anywhere in Baldwin County I would strongly urge you to put your kids in private school, or home school them. Car break ins can be a problem, even in nicer neighborhoods, but crime is not too terrible. Thing I found most annoying about living in Spanish Fort is that in my school other students would exclude you if you weren't from there. There are a lot of families in Spanish Fort, but after living there four years it did not seem like a place I would ever want to raise a child. Housing Spanish Fort is overpriced for what you get.

[JoMiWi]

My wife worked at a chemical plant near Calvert, and essentially all the professionals lived on the Eastern Shore (Spanish Fort and Daphne).

You might want to look up independent evaluations of schools. Baldwin County residents have continued to approve a sales tax to support the schools at the ballot box, despite the anti-tax hysteria common in this part of the country.

Saraland would be a closer commute and you would probably get more house for the money, but amenities like shopping are better on the Eastern Shore.

[daphneguy]

I would look to buy in Spanish Fort or Daphne. I don't want to put Mobile down too much, but Mobile does not compete with Spanish Fort/Daphne at all when it comes to quality of life and raising children. Mobile has much more crime, not so good public schools, and much of the area is old/run down compared to across the bay (Eastern Shore). I will say though, if you choose Mobile they have great private schools. The only areas I would consider living at in Mobile is the Springhill area or parts of West Mobile. Spanish Fort and Daphne both have good public schools. You will get more house for your money in Daphne. My dad has been commuting from Daphne to Calvert for five years and has no problem doing it.

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by daphneguy

I would look to buy in Spanish Fort or Daphne. I don't want to put Mobile down too much, but Mobile does not compete with Spanish Fort/Daphne at all when it comes to quality of life and raising children. Mobile has much more crime, not so good public schools, and much of the area is old/run down compared to across the bay (Eastern Shore). I will say though, if you choose Mobile they have great private schools. The only areas I would consider living at in Mobile is the Springhill area or parts of West Mobile. Spanish Fort and Daphne both have good public schools. You will get more house for your money in Daphne. My dad has been commuting from Daphne to Calvert for five years and has no problem doing it.

I'm sorry, but downtown and midtown Mobile are charming areas (read: not cookie-cutter/suburban parking lots) and certainly not run-down! They certainly have MUCH more character.

[daphneguy]

I will say midtown Mobile has it's nice areas and older houses with character, but a lot of them are very close to not so nice areas. I can't say the same about downtown Mobile, it needs a lot of work. I think that area is better for the younger crowd. It's not really the best place to raise children unless you can afford to live on the right street and send your children to a private school in the area.

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by daphneguy

I will say midtown Mobile has it's nice areas and older houses with character, but a lot of them are very close to not so nice areas. I can't say the same about downtown Mobile, it needs a lot of work. I think that area is better for the younger crowd. It's not really the best place to raise children unless you can afford to live on the right street and send your children to a private school in the area.

Midtown is generally very safe as well as downtown. It is for the younger crowd for sure, but there are plenty of young families there too. The private schools also provide the best education in the metro area and the housing is cheaper.

[lem1985]

I worked near Calvert and my dad works near Calvert at another plant. He lives in Airport-Dawes area. It used to take me about 35-40 mins light traffic if working nights it may take 40-45 mins also the same for my dad. In a guy living in Spanish Fort he love its but hates the drive to work in Bucks, AL near Calvert he works no overtime at all because of that reason. My dad has been living in Airport-Dawes area since 2001 when he built his house only crime he has experienced was a few years back when a man stole a motorcycle from a business and few pieces of paper in the ditch from that garbage trucks that's it. I have lived in Mobile for 2 years and it one of the safest places I have ever lived seriously one thing I noticed everybody definition of crime and danger is different here compared to other places. A lot of people hate the city and county of Mobile so they move to Baldwin County that's just how it is. The Mobile vs Baldwin talk is real and has divided each other