I am moving to Savannah and encourage everyone to join me! (hotel, houses)

[gamecock43]

So I have been on the fence about making the move from FL to Savannah for over a year now. I have visited Savannah as a tourist a few times and fell in love. These boards scared me. I tried to find a new city to love. But I love Savannah.
I have decided to make the move. I am traveling to Savannah in July to 'really' look around the city, and check out areas to live. I hope to actually move in the fall/winter.
For a long time I have watched this board and many strong, open-minded, starry eyed, risk-taking, diverse people have been scared away from moving to Savannah due to the racism and crime. I have hoped desperately that one of these people would get over their fear, make the move to Savannah and report back to the rest of us fence-sitters how it really is in Savannah.
Wait no more. I am going. I encourage everyone else to as well. I cant help but think that if all the people who get scared away from Savannah actually moved to Savannah then maybe things in Savannah would be different.
Over the past year I have watched the board and seen people over and over scared away from Savannah. A year later, the problems are the same. Scaring people away from Savannah and keeping the status quo does not seem to be changing Savannah insiders perspectives of Savannah, so maybe getting an inflow of outsiders into the population will help the crime, racism, job problems and poor education.
I am going to Savannah, and all you fence-sitters are welcome to join me. I am determined to enjoy the unique features that I have only found in this city, I am determined to keep my optimistic attitude that people are polite in the south, and that I in turn will become a nicer and better mannered person. Finally, I am determined to find a spot on the map where trees line the street, the pace of life is slower, and I do not have to pay the equivelent of feeding a small country for a month of rent.

[snow4461]

hey thats great !!! We too went and checked things out for ourselves and found some of it to be true, ( that was poated on these forms ) but mostly we found everyone there VERY helpfull and friendly. We where engouraged by our housekeeper for our hotel room and the front desk girl of schools to check out and towns and where NOT to go. also they even gave us e-mail address for themselves so we could let them know when we where moving there, everyone was great, we even got lost a time or two and found the gas station people had a laugh but helped us out...so GOOOD LUCK and report back.

[ellie]

I think that's just great. We need more enthusiastic people here.

I was not being facetious when I suggested you wait a little before buying anything on the fringes of the historic district. In many cases, properties have been flipped a couple of times and restored and are now sitting empty.

At this point prices far exceed what most people can afford or are willing to pay. Prices seem to be slowly dropping, but if you are smart, get to know the area, and watch what's going on, you may find an excellent deal.

Be patient.

[gamecock43]

Thank you. I have been on realtor.com and wind up frusterated because I see beautiful houses being listed and they are still listed months later. I cant figure out whats going on in this city. I would give my whole life savings to live in one of these houses! LOL (and I might very soon). The 'pockets of crime' are what makes it impossible for me to understand the market from watching realtor.com.
I am just trying to understand if now is the time to buy, or if a year from now will be the time to buy. Living in FL and seeing a 1800sqft victorian house for $190,000 seems like a good deal to me, but that means nothing if Savannians look at you like you are a 'dumb tourist' because the house is way overpriced and in 6 months there are 5 houses on your street listed for $130,000.
So I have contacted a realtor, booked a hotel room and will be in Savannah in July.

[ellie]

I just looked at the listings to see exactly what you have been looking at. Off the top of my head I recognized two that are next to or very close to a couple of friends' houses. Both of the homes are nice enough but if I'm remembering correctly one faces homes that are exceptionally ugly(1980's infill) and the other is next to a railroad track and busy street.

There are a couple in the low $200's that are in an area that has seen a fair amount of active restoration which was in part sponsored by Historic Savannah Foundation. Those would be worth looking at again.

Actually, you'd be an excellent candidate to participate in HSF's program. Contact them when you're in town. They're one of the main reasons half the city wasn't torn down to begin with.

[gamecock43]

Thank you! I have already talked with them. And I think I will basically move into that office once I buy a property! The houses they are interested in restoring are way way way to far gone for me to tackle. But there is a tax break they provide for renovating a historic income producing home. Thats why I am keeping an eye out for duplexes. But my real 'dream home' the one that I have been eyeing online for months and just dont understand how it has not sold yet...
Single Family Home - 2425 Barnard, Savannah, GA, 31401 - Realtor.com

The house is to big for me. The house it way at the tip top of my price range. And I know nothing about the area around this house. But it's listings like these that have finally given me the push to at least check it out in person. I gotta go. I fell in love.

[gamecock43]

And I know the house will be sold tomorrow now that I have publicly admitted I love this house. I will be crushed. But I cant afford it anyways. It's way to big for me. I want it.

[ellie]

Don't fret, there will be more. I think Barnard St. is one of the more interesting and overlooked streets in town. Once you get that far south, though, you're taking more of a risk financially since you're farther from the core of the historic district. That one looks to be pretty close to Starland, which is good.

Just don't get in too much of a hurry to buy. Realtors are desperate these days and will tell you and promise you anything to make a sale. The price correction in Savannah has just begun and will continue to normalize over the next year or so.

[gamecock43]

Ok, good.
Good that its not in a slum and close to a fun and upcoming district
and good that prices are starting to go down now and I have lots of time.
I am coming to Savannah in July, to look at available houses, and this one if it's still available.
I am excited.

[ellie]

I looked at that house yesterday before dark on my way out for the evening.

Yes, it's a huge house and sits on a corner lot. Odd and troubling thing was that it is completely surrounded by a 6' high wire security fence. (you can see it in the photo, but it looks like a porch railing)

Evidently they've had trouble there with vandalism or theft. Not a surprise. The area is still transitional.