Apartments in Hickory (Valley Hill, Catawba, Forest Hills: rentals, high crime, house)

[Aly]

My husband and I have accepted new jobs in Hickory and will be moving there in July. We have family all over NC but are not familiar with Hickory. We want to rent an apartment while we settle in and decide where to buy a house. We would like any information you can provide about which apartments and neighborhoods are safe vs. which ones to avoid.

Thanks!

[Carolina Girl]

I am very familiar with the Hickory (Catawba, Burke and Caldwell county area) but I never needed to rent an apt. I do have access to some yellow pages and could get info for you, but don't know specifics on complexes. However, Hickory has never stood out as having a particularly high crime rate. Good luck with the streets though. It is notorious far and wife for it's wacky street layout. I remember as a youth thinking I would one day get the hang of them but I never did. A word of caution too, Hickory loves one-way streets and you can be on one before you can say 'which way?' Be carefu. I seriously think before the days of city planners the town drunk laid out the streets. Everyone I know has always thought some day some brave soul would do us all a favor and bit the bullet regarding re-laying out the streets, but to this day no one has. My sister lives there still and I go there some. It is a very pretty and peaceful city.

[Aly]

Thank you Carolina Girl. Would it be an imposition on my part to ask you to ask your sister if she knows anything about the apartments in Hickory the next time you talk to her? On other forums I keep reading about how unsafe Hickory has become. It surprises me to read that but I am just trying to be careful. We don't even lock our doors in the part of Alaska where I live.......

[mm34b]

Originally Posted by Aly

My husband and I have accepted new jobs in Hickory and will be moving there in July. We have family all over NC but are not familiar with Hickory. We want to rent an apartment while we settle in and decide where to buy a house. We would like any information you can provide about which apartments and neighborhoods are safe vs. which ones to avoid.

Thanks!

Private message sent.

[Carolina Girl]

Originally Posted by Aly

Thank you Carolina Girl. Would it be an imposition on my part to ask you to ask your sister if she knows anything about the apartments in Hickory the next time you talk to her? On other forums I keep reading about how unsafe Hickory has become. It surprises me to read that but I am just trying to be careful. We don't even lock our doors in the part of Alaska where I live.......

I will try to ask some people whom I know in Hickory about apts. It may take a day or two. My sister is rather ill and probably couldn't get her thoughts together at this time. I think Hickory falls in line with most other cities it's size for crime. There is some, but I would not be afraid to live there. I'll get back to you on that.

[Carolina_native]

The nicest apartments in Hickory are off Catawba Valley Blvd. It is near the new Carmike Cinemas. They are one street away from the Valley Hills Mall. The name of the apartments are "Forest Hills". Also look at "The Legends."
It is a very nice area, with a club house and swimming pool. Need more info on these let me know.

[angelaf]

Hi,
I'm also looking at Hickory, and we'd also be renting for a while, until we get to know the area and are certain of where we want to buy. But we'd need to rent a house, because we have 2 cats and 2 dogs--pit bulls, at that. Anyone have any ideas on how hard it will be to find a house to rent with these critters? We ended up buying the house we have now even though we knew we would only be here for a few years because we literally couldn't find ANY place to rent... and that was before we got the second dog. I'm really hoping it won't be that difficult in NC!! Do landlords tend to be more lenient about pets there?

[Aly]

Thanks everyone. Can anyone tell me neighborhoods to stay away from in Hickory? Is there any particular unsafe area?

[Carolina_native]

Neighborhoods to stay away from in Hickory are mainly in the southwest area of the city. Most of where the public housing is.

There are rather affluent areas in the northern part of the city on Lake Hickory. Also Hickory annexed an area to the south of the city off Hwy 321 called Mountainview. It also has a golf course. Pretty nice area as well.

[Carolina Girl]

Originally Posted by Carolina_native

Neighborhoods to stay away from in Hickory are mainly in the southwest area of the city. Most of where the public housing is.

There are rather affluent areas in the northern part of the city on Lake Hickory. Also Hickory annexed an area to the south of the city off Hwy 321 called Mountainview. It also has a golf course. Pretty nice area as well.

Mountainview. I don't believe that has any rentals though as it is a new housing development.

As for pets, that is a rental problem in most areas. If LL's will rent, they charge larger deposits. etc.