Is Savannah Really that Bad? (Atlanta, Hinesville: rental, homes, neighborhood)

[ellie]

Once, when I lived on E. 34th St., my truck was broken into and the only thing stolen was an old suitcase that I'd found. It was filled with old lady underwear that I'd separated out of a treasure trove of cool junk. Both the suitcase and the drawers were headed to the Goodwill.

I wish I could have seen the thieves' faces when they opened up that suitcase!

[Criss1956]

Originally Posted by bgnzsavnh

I spent a lot of time in NYC then and there is nothing like that in Savannah. How safe would a black man or a gay couple be walking thru Rincon or Richmond Hill at 3 am?

How safe would it be for a white man or white woman be walking down through a black neighborhood in Savannah or in the Bronx?
Nothing would happen to a black man/woman or gay couple here but just think what would happen to a white man or woman.

Don't tell me nothing, either. I know, because I grew up in Birmingham, AL and have been savagely beaten by gang of blacks simply because I am white.

[twinkletoes38372]

If you are moving to Savannah from the North prepare to hear "You're not from here are you?" Get used to it, Southerns are that. Southern and they are proud of it. Be sure you have a job (if you need one) before you move there. Income is low. Savannah needs more restaurants other than fast food. Only one good restaurant in town that serves liquor. It is in the Bible belt and there are lots of churches. Schools are relatively good, 2 private church schools. People are nosey but basically good. You will be a minimum of 100 miles from a metropolitan city. If you like the river, you are in luck. We got one.

[flasho6]

Can you still rent a P.O. box in Savannah and not live there? They won't let you do that here.

[waterwings]

Hi All

I am coming down to Savannah in Sept to look at the area for
the purpose of moving.
I grew up in a sleepy fishing village in CT,spent 35 years in the gorgeous town of Charlottesville, and am now living in the fast paced version of life in Nothern Va. I'm thinking that living in a spot such as Isle of Hope will allow us to realx with life once again. We are avid boaters and animal folks. Any other suggestions of places to look at while we are there? Also suggestions as to fun things to do?

What the medical situation is down there?
I am a RN w/35 yrs of experience.and will be job hunting if we move

Also, I understand there is a large metaphysical community there
Could someone fill me in?

Thank you with appreciation

[ellie]

A large metaphysical community? Maybe a small one. LOL.

Padgett will probably volunteer the info on Isle of Hope.

Read the past posts on Savannah, if you haven't already. They should answer most of your questions.

[Padgett2]

I think there's a shop in the area around Forsyth Park that sells stuff that would be used by a metaphysical group....don't know for sure.

AHHHHHH, Isle of Hope! The place of Paradise in Savannah! It's small, but it's surrounded by water and marsh. But only one or two places to put a boat in unless you own one of those $$$places$$$$ on the Bluff. Places for sale or rent. Lovely place to live. Quiet, but NO commercial development. You would have to drive about 3-4 miles to the get groceries. Horrors!!!

As a RN you won't have any trouble finding work. Three hospitals, several free standing clinics and lots of medical practices.

[jasondnorris]

Looking back at my time in Savannah, I am glad that I did my two years there (sounds like a jail sentence) because it really helped me appreciate where I'm at now. To a person contemplating a move to Savannah: Everyone's experience is different and that's going to show in these posts. Think long and hard before you make the move and if you're still gung ho, go for it. You may have the best experience in Savannah or you may have the worst. Either way it's your experience; I love where I'm at now and I hope you find a place that you love.

[Soccrweirdlo92]

Ok. So some people have bad reviews about Savannah. Some have good. I'll give you my intake on Savannah.

Education- I went to school in Savannah since Pre-Kindergarten. Education here isn't as bad as people say it is. It all depends on if you care about your child's education. If you do, you'd search around for good public schools in the area that offer Honors Programs. Such schools have good plans and programs that cater to different students. Some programs are for students who want a head start with their education by taking hard courses. Some programs are centered around the arts. If you don't care about your child's education, you'd probably dump them off at the closest school in the neighborhood...and that's usually not a good idea. The private schools here may sound better, but the education in private and public schools is just the same if not better in public schools.

Crime- Sure we have crime. But what city doesn't? The Downtown area is notorious for burglaries and armed robberies. The low-income neighborhoods are also pretty bad too. Why? Well, it all starts with the family not teaching their children, and everyone skips school and does drugs....blahblah... anyways. Crime is not a big problem on most of the southside. (There might be an occasional burglary or theft. Shootings don't happen too often.) Crime is very rare in the suburbs of Savannah as well...Richmond Hill, Port Wentworth, Pooler. Garden City has had its share of crimes to deal with. With a beefed-up police department, crime is beginning to lessen. It is still a problem though.

Temperature- Winters are cold. Lows are usually not too bad. 25F at worst in the Winter. Usually around 35-45F. Summers can be pretty bad. With the humidity and sand-gnats, it can get very hot. Average Summer Temperatures are around 90-100F with Heat Indexes approaching 110-120F sometimes. Afternoon Thunderstorms often in the Summer and Spring. If you want snow, you probably won't get any. About 0.01 inches of snow on average here.

Roads/Traffic/Flooding

Roads here are usually smooth and drivable. Traffic is pretty bad in some spots. Of course, it's not as bad as the big cities, but needless to say, it's not always a 5-minute drive everywhere. Problem Spots- Highway 204 at King George Blvd. Abercorn at DeRenne. DeRenne Avenue in general. Midtown can be packed at rush hour.
There's always flooding in Savannah when there's a bad storm. Downtown usually gets hit the most. Drainage projects are currently in the works for the city everywhere.
There are many ways to get in and out of Savannah. Interstate 95 Up and Down the East Coast. Interstate 16 To Atlanta and Beyond. Highway 17 Up and Down the East Coast. Highway 80 to the Islands and East to Everywhere Else. And so on...
There is the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport with daily non-stop flights to New York, Atlanta, Charlotte. You can get anywhere from here in a plane... with maybe on or two connecting flights.

Shopping and Entertainment...

Two Malls- Savannah Mall and Oglethorpe Mall. Lots of little shopping plazas here and there. Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys R US, Linens and Things, TJ Maxx, Ross, Talbots, Fresh Market, Goodys, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples...and on goes the list.
We have plenty of movie theatres, two bowling alleys, a laser tag/skating joint, plenty of nightclubs. Kids may have a hard time finding fun things to do. We have amusement parks all around the area...Summer Waves in Jekyll Island, Splash in the Boro in Statesboro, Wild Adventures in Valdosta. Orlando isn't a far drive from here.

Food.
The usual fast food places are everywhere...McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Checkers/Rallys, Krystal (aka the Southern White Castle), Krispy Kreme, Zaxby's, Chick-Fil-A, Dairy Queen, KFC, Popeyes, Church's Chicken. Nice restaurants all over too. Just ask someone.

I think that's all I really know....

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by new28moon

I have seen people relocate here from other parts of the country without researching the job market first and then be disappointed with the low wages. I worked with a lady who relocated here from Kansas. She assumed she'd make about $12 an hour and she was offered $9. I worked with a girl who relocated here from Chicago. She assumed she'd make about $16 an hour and she was offered $9. I knew a guy who relocated here from Maryland. He assumed he'd get a good salary with his experience and computer skills. He was offered $18K a year. I knew a lady who relocated here from Dallas. She made $40K a year there and was offered $8.75 an hour here. I worked with a lady from NYC. She made $15 an hour there and was offered $9 here.

My advice to anyone who is considering this area: Do not move until you get a job offer and a salary you afford to live on!!!!!

I had the same thing happen when I moved to Roanoke VA from NJ.