Fircrest neighborhood? (Vancouver, Orchards, Edgewood: cul-de-sac, apartments, rentals)

[sushi66]

I'm about to move to the Vancouver area. I've found a house (rental) that on the map is in the Fircrest neighborhood. I like the non-cookie cutterness of it. The crime stats for Fircrest aren't so hot. What do you think?

[Widgen]

The Fircrest neighborhood is middle class older part of Vancouver. If you have kids you are better off in the Fishers Landing area as the schools are better. Other than that it is a mixed area with very nice, good, and very poor housing side by side. I would sure look at the place before you rent it.

[StealthRabbit]

Yeah, this is a place you need to visit to get the 'lay-of-the-neighborhood'.
I lived at 115xx NE 8th st (many yrs ago) and enjoyed Fircrest (except for the neighbor that had a pack of barking dogs). Really liked being across from cemetery, as nice place to walk and take bicycle rides with kids (in buddy seat). We watch the backhoes daily, great fun for small boys. There are more apartments and rentals now, so it really depends on the adjacent neighbors. Ours were great at the time. Tough to be in a more convenient place, tho the traffic is rough in the key intersections. You will quickly learn to avoid those, and venturing out during the rush hour.
You can scoot across the 9th street bridge to go west and NW, or out the backside to Burton to escape towards the NE. I'm glad we left, as I would really miss Evergreen Airport, it was great excitement and added a 'thrill' level to living there.

Also you are directly under the NS PDX approach, which gets used very rarely (~ 5 days / yr). But is was a real surprise (after living there a few months) to find that out when looking up at the underside of the passenger jets landing every couple minutes.

Overall it was fine for us.
Crime was not a problem, but the I-205 Bridge just opened while we lived there. (riff-raff / ez escape for burglars).

Depending on your location needs, I would consider Edgewood Park, Carter Park, Dubois Park / father Blanchet Park, Hazel Dell Park (NW Minnehaha). If you must live on the east side for 205 access, maybe you could find a spot in East Vancouver Heights
Neighborhood Associations - Neighborhoods - Our Community - City of Vancouver, Washington, USA
Did you want to garden?
Fircrest / Orchards / Cascade Park, is not conducive to that

[HokeyGassaway]

Until Oct. of last year we lived in the Fircrest neighborhood for 5 years. (We relocated to Charlotte, NC). We lived on the corner of 3rd ST and 121 AVE. We really liked the neighborhood. We were close to everything and I could walk or ride my bike to Blockbuster, the bank, or Fred Meyers if I needed anything. The streets are wide and Fircrest park is a nice park.

The housing is a mix of rentals, older couples, and young families. I liked Fircrest school and had no problems with our neighbors. However, some homes show a lack of upkeep on their houses and yards. It's not a wealthy neighborhood, but I felt safe there.

[mattsun]

I have a friend living in Hidden Village, jon the north side of the Fircrest neighborhood. They haven't had any problems with crime. I bet you could buy a new home in there for the same amount you're renting for now. I wish I was in the market for a new home right now...great deals out there and most of them are not short-sales. Hidden Village is a small, attractive neighborhood of new homes that's an extensive of a mature neighborhood. Not cookie-cutter, big fir trees, private road with a cul-de-sac. Nice. Evergreen Homes NW.com is building a spec home in one of the few lots left now...should be done before the start of school from the looks of it.

[sushi66]

Hi all,

We ended up in a new home just outside of the Fircrest neighborhood and while it doesn't feel all that "neighborhoody" and I probably won't buy right in this area, I do like a lot of things about it and you're right, it couldn't be a more convenient location. We're mixed in with older homes on large lots, a few acres of open space behind us, quite pretty. I like the nursery on 112th, and Joe's Farm, etc. I've even been able to get a small vegetable garden growing!

I did NOT enjoy that Vancouver welcomed us with 107-8 degree weather. I hope that doesn't happen again.

[penpen]

there are better neighborhoods, do you have kids?