Thinking of moving to Danville, VA (Virginia Beach, Martinsville: real estate, apartment, rent)

[Lusitano]

My husband and I are considering Danville, VA. We currently live in Va Beach and my husband is considering a teaching position with the public schools there. I've been reading some negative stuff about the area. Run down city, high crime rate, etc. I also know the Dan River plant closed so there is high unemployment too.

On the positive, real estate prices are great. We could afford a really nice house there. I also read that a branch of IKEA furniture making business is opening a plant in 2008. Supposed to bring 250 new jobs now and 500 more over the next 9 years.

Would Danville be a good place to teach and live?

[platinum]

I used to living in northern va. Not sure about Danville. I hope someone else answers this question because my sister suppose to move there in 4 weeks.

[vasinger]

I have only visited Danville once and my impression of it - is that while very charming, its not quite in the 21st century just yet.

The downtown area seemed like it was stuck about 40 years past. There wasn't much vibrancy to the town. There were some nice houses in the Millionaires Row section but not much in terms of the arts, or other business opportunities.

There is Averett University there- and it has somewhat the feel of a college town.

Of course, I only stayed there a few days and really didnt have much time to look around. I think maybe someone who lives there might be able to tell you better.

I visited it in 1998, and a lot can happen in 9 years.

Here's a website:

City of Danville, Virginia

[seanpecor]

Danville will take years before it stabilizes. It hasn't found it's new direction yet. Once upon a time it was a thriving small city, highly dependent on the manufacturing sector. I'm no expert but I get the sense that when NAFTA rolled out, Danville was hit particularly hard because it was also a college town. Since colleges tend to increase the quality of life, the economy and the cost of living to some extent, I would suspect that manufacturing companies with plants in the Danville area would have experienced a greater pressure to exit the area in order to compete in the global market. So Danville and Henry County waned a bit faster than other areas.

Virginia Beach as a stastical area has alot less crime than Danville does. For example, there were 20 murders in Virginia Beach, and there were 5 murders in Danville, which has about 10% of the population of VB. So for VB to have the same murder rate, it would have to have had 50 murders in 2005. Then again, as is the case in most areas, violent crime is for the most part concentrated in neighborhoods where those living in the worst conditions reside.

Ultimately, I think moving to Danville could be a good opportunity since your husband has an opportunity to teach there. I'd want some reassurance that the declining population would not endanger his job though, as the school roster declines. It may be that the population decline has slowed and the area has experienced most of it's adjustment. But I'd make sure first.

If you bought now you would really enjoy alot of house for the money! And if you can't find what you want as far as culture/events in Danville, you're less than an hour from SML, Martinsville and Greensboro.

Sean

[vasinger]

My mama always told me Danville is old money , but Martinsville is new moneyed peckerwoods.

[DecayingAngel]

Originally Posted by vasinger

My mama always told me Danville is old money , but Martinsville is new moneyed peckerwoods.

Can you kindly explain "new moneyed peckerwoods" to this newbie? It's been said better to ask then to remain dumb.....it just sounds so funny and I'm sure it is not a compliment!

[seanpecor]

Since a peckerwood is a dead and rotting tree in the forest, left to stand for the woodpeckers, I suppose you're right in assuming it's not a compliment And it's a particularly apt slang for an area that was formerly a MAJOR furniture manufacturing mecca.

There is still plenty of money in Martinsville and Danville but it's highly concentrated among a handful of families. I know of one family through a lady blacksmith in the Martinsville area. She was commissioned to make a massive 8' in diameter chandalier for a family in her area. She made something like 400 iron leaves on iron branches growing out from a center iron trunk; it also had several thousand pieces of georgian crystal. I never asked her how much they paid but I'm guessing $75,000 or more.

Sean

[Vision22]

I will appreciate a very open and candid opinion about Danville VA!!

I will be moving to Danville. We tried to get a three Bedroom Apartment but we did not find any.
We have decided to purchase a three Bedroom house just for temporary use before building or finding a house that we will like. My concern I have is that this house is really, really cheap. It is very nice inside and could serve us well for the temporary purpose. The house is located near North Main street about 1.5 miles to the old downtown.

The neighborhood does not look great but I do not see people hanging around and drinking like a typical American urban town. Is there anything wrong with this area? How could prices of houses be this low? Many houses are even listed for under $20,000.00. How could this be? What is the history behind this area. Are there some places or neighborhood in Danville that one need to aviod?

I need a very open and candid opion from someone who knows this area. I will be for ever greatful. I am most concerned about crime.

[Vision22]

I will appreciate a very open and candid opinion about Danville VA!!

I will be moving to Danville. We tried to get a three Bedroom Apartment but we did not find any.
We have decided to purchase a three Bedroom house just for temporary use before building or finding a house that we will like. My concern I have is that this house is really, really cheap. It is very nice inside and could serve us well for the temporary purpose. The house is located near North Main street about 1.5 miles to the old downtown.

The neighborhood does not look great but I do not see people hanging around and drinking like a typical American urban town. Is there anything wrong with this area? How could prices of houses be this low? Many houses are even listed for under $20,000.00. How could this be? What is the history behind this area. Are there some places or neighborhood in Danville that one need to aviod?

I need a very open and candid opion from someone who knows this area. I will be for ever greatful. I am most concerned about crime.

[lollygag]

Originally Posted by Vision22

I will appreciate a very open and candid opinion about Danville VA!!

I will be moving to Danville. We tried to get a three Bedroom Apartment but we did not find any.
We have decided to purchase a three Bedroom house just for temporary use before building or finding a house that we will like. My concern I have is that this house is really, really cheap. It is very nice inside and could serve us well for the temporary purpose. The house is located near North Main street about 1.5 miles to the old downtown.

The neighborhood does not look great but I do not see people hanging around and drinking like a typical American urban town. Is there anything wrong with this area? How could prices of houses be this low? Many houses are even listed for under $20,000.00. How could this be? What is the history behind this area. Are there some places or neighborhood in Danville that one need to aviod?

I need a very open and candid opion from someone who knows this area. I will be for ever greatful. I am most concerned about crime.

Don't do it....rent in the West Main Averett University area but not N. Main area...worst area of town...houses are cheap because it is one of the most decaying areas of town....

Better still, rent an apartment or house in the county, particularly the
Route 41 or Ringgold or Blairs areas....each is only two minutes to downtown

But FORGET North Main area.

Sincerely,
Current Danville Native