Moving to Mobile,Alabama

[downtowndoll]

I realize that all cities have yucky areas, but I have to say I have loved Mobile. Is this terrible place you are speaking of Mobile? Because it sounds like somewhere else!
I am from the MS Gulf Coast, had a lovely life there, and I could never move back there. There is so much going on here (opera, symphony, ballet,historic museums) and it's a lovely historic city. I felt that way 10 years ago and now even more so.

We lived in West Mobile and decided to move downtown 5 years ago. I drive through several "drug" areas as short cuts and I feel safe enough. I live about 3 blocks away from drug areas in a wonderful Oakleigh Garden District. We are left alone and I have not had anything happen in 5 years. There is some littering but, big deal, I pick up 3 items a week. We love it down here and really feel part of Mobile. I do a LOT of volunteering so I meet a lot of people. Have lots of friends from the 'hood that we've made and we are so busy every weekend with little trips with them that I never catch up with the laundry!

When my hubby and I first moved to Mobile, we lived in Maison Deville apartments behind Fresh Market in the Spring Hill area. They are very dated ,but there are a lot of sweet, old ladies who live there ( which I thought was a good sign!) and I felt pretty safe there.

USA has a lot going for it. I didn't go there but I know a lot who did and have done very well for themselves. Sorry, but I need to correct others about jobs. Just in the construction field alone, there is a huge need. There are a lot of high-paying jobs here, and I know you will find one of them. We have a low cost of living here as well.
The Greek scene is always a good place to start if you are the right age. Regardless, get involved in groups at school/community and you will meet people. Then you will find some decent roommates and maybe you can find a cool apartment together in Midtown!

If you have any other questions , I'll be glad to answer them. I hope you didn't change your mind!

[Bbluefish]

Hi Downtowndoll !

Just had to say hello as reading your post brings back memories for me....my grandfather & grandmother resided in Maison Deville apartments for the last 7 years of their life together. When my grandmother passed at 93, my grandfather moved into a nursing home where he resided for several years until his passing.

I know what you mean regarding the sweet older people residing their. I have fond memories of bridge games & "hot toddy" hour beginning everyday around 5 in the afternoon....they would start outside & inevitably move indoors!!

I don't know why people seem so determined to put Mobile down. I lived there for 18 years & all of my family still resides there. No one I know ever had any type of incident or altercation. I guess in Mobile it really is all about WHERE YOU LIVE but the same can be said of most communities :-)

I bet you really enjoy the Oakleigh Garden District...never lived there but some of my classmates from St. Paul's,my high school, did. It's a great place to be...so many activities going on & Christmas is oh so beautiful!!!

Oh well, enjoy Mobile this summer. I'm looking forward to my next visit!!!

[Valnf]

Originally Posted by unklejman

Mobile encumpasses a large area and many individual communities. I lived there for 14 years with no incidents, and lived in baldwin county, visiting mobile regularly for 6 more years. I currently live in Jacksonville now but I will be starting a job back in Mobile in a month. I personally will be residing in Baldwin County. Daphne to be specific. If that is an option I would consider it as it is a much nicer place to live.

HI,

Just wondering what you liked better, Jacksonville or Baldwin County? Is that Jacksonville, FL?

[downtowndoll]

We moved to Mobile about 14 years ago and I really wasn't sure about Maison Deville. It was a good location, midway basically. Then it became so obvious with all of these sweet older people living there, that I felt better about it. We were surrounded! Anyway, since you are from Mobile- I thought you might think the following is funny.

I had friends who had once lived in Mobile inquire about my "zipcode". "What was it?" they wanted to know. "36608", I replied. "Whew! Good!" They said. I was completely clueless. "Why is it good to live in a certain zipcode when my apartment is so horrible?" I thought to myself. Now I know that you can live in a shack in '08 and it's all good. And why Maison has so many older people.

Later, when we built and moved to a beautiful home out in the boonies (past Snow Road), none of my friends would come out there to visit. I suspect I was left out in many ways because of where I lived. In Mobile, it's about where you live, not how great your house is. It was a hard concept for me to understand or care about when I did finally understand.

Then we began planning to move to Midtown, as '08 has never appealed to us. However, for those who are looking, it seems to be pretty close-knit in certain areas there. Spring Hill is a wonderful area. We just preferred historic homes.
So moving to Midtown, you know what that means... finding the right street, rather than the right zipcode. It wasn't easy...many times I was swayed by a beautiful house on a dubious street. But we finally picked a home on a very good street. Our carpenter from the new house in the county came to work on it and thought we were nuts to move. It's amazing the change in that move.... friends were clamoring for me to join this and that group. I wish we had picked Midtown in the beginning, back when the homes were dirt cheap!

[Bbluefish]

Hey downtowndoll!

LOVE your zip code story....too funny & oh so "Mobile"!!
I just noticed you thread on another post regarding Fairhope & the whole STEPFORD WIVES phenomenon. That's sad because when I was growing up most of the Baldwin county area seemed so NON-STEPFORDY in comparison to Mobile. And I'm with you on not wanting to be outblonded for goodness sake :-)

You are so right about midtown being affordable back in the day before the prices sky-rocketed. A dear friend of my mothers lived there before she & her hubby built a home in Lakewood, the neighborhood off Airport behind the McGregor & Airport intersection. She would have made quite a nice profit today but she had to have that 'dream house"!

This same friend was also the 3rd person YEARS ago to build a home in Seaside, Florida. It was the best....this is back before Bud & Alley's moved in or any of the other shops. They even had an outside market selling t-shirts & some clothing & when it would rain, the owners of the various "booths" would run to get all of their items from getting soaked!! After Seaside developed & her boys went off to college, they sold...thought the community had lost some of its initial charm. :-(

Be glad you found a place with some diversity & a community that is so involved...that's sometimes hard to find in Mobile!!!

[unklejman]

Originally Posted by Valnf

HI,

Just wondering what you liked better, Jacksonville or Baldwin County? Is that Jacksonville, FL?

I like Baldwin County better. I just moved back and I'm already loving it so much more. Jacksonville (Florida) despite its size is quite bland. Baldwin county has much more charm to it. In Jacksonville there is the beach, and the zoo but really it is only good if you want to eat out. Then there is the crime. Sure all cities have crime and there are many that have much higher crime rates. The thing with Jacksonville is that the crime happens in any part of town at any time to anyone. It can be quite random. The murder rate this year was the highest in FL at some point I think. There is St. Augustine a half hour south though.