Where's a good spot? (Asheville, Henderson: rentals, house, safe area)

[hollywollyd]

Where's a good spot?
Ok, so things change fast! Last Sunday I posted about Oregon, thinking the husband would get a job in some city there, and got sidetracked by a post I made back in Decemeber, that I had never read replys to. A bunch of people suggested we settle in Asheville, NC and I thought, 'what the heck?' and submitted my husband's resume to a job there. Monday he got a call and Tuesday he accepted, so YA'LL....We're moving to Asheville! Funny how things work out!
So, he's going to be working in Arden. I've never been there. I have no idea what this place is like, but I'm up for an adventure. If you'll read my previous posts, I will be attending college full-time, once we get settled. We do have three small kids, two are just starting school (Kinder and second) and one 16 month old, but we are active. We like to walk everywhere and bike places and would love to one day go car-free. We love to shop locally, so we don't want some big incorporated suburb, you know with a barnes and noble, the cost plus, etc. We want culture. We want trees and greenery and maybe a garden and some chickens. Okay enough dreaming.... My question... I've been looking on Google Earth, and looking for rentals. I'm noticing that downtown, there aren't many 3 bedrooms for rent and I don't know that the husband would be able to ride his bike to Arden from downtown? Anyone know? I'm noticing towns? Neighborhoods? Subdivisions? like Laurel Park, Hendersonville, Valley Springs, Skyland... any suggestions? Mostly I've been calling on places in W. Asheville, but I am so overwhelmed. Can anyone guide me?

[Asheville Native]

Working in Arden and living in downtown needs a vehicle (as would Hendersonville, Laurel Park). It would not be prudent to ride on either route from Asheville to Arden, US25 or Sweeten Creek Rd. Living in near south of Asheville is going to need a vehicle for groceries, etc., which are all clustered along US25 (a very busy 5 lane) or Long Shoals road, very busy and in the process of being widened to 4 or 5 lanes.

And by college, I assume you mean UNCA, which is on the opposite side (north) of downtown.

Be careful of West Asheville, there are some unsafe areas, primarily east of I240, near the Pisgah View public housing and drug dealer haven. Riding to downtown requires going down to the river to cross (and climbing the other side), as the only major bridge across the river is classified as an Interstate (I240 & I26) and bicycles are illegal on it.

In the city, you can have chickens no closer to your neighbors house than 100 feet. That spacing is rare indeed anywhere near the city, and certainly not in any of the growth areas where 0.25 acre lots are considered huge.

[hollywollyd]

Thank you very much for this information. This is very helpful.