Moving Here? Need Advice? Help Us Help You. (Birmingham, Hoover: private school, colleges)

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by Stephkp

Our price range is $1000 a month, and he will be working around State Farm road.

Thank you for your help.

I would look in Hoover. You may or may not find a single-family home suitable for you at under $1000 (but you might). Vestavia Hills and especially Hoover will have a good number of apartments that probably fit your price range, though you will probably want to do a little more research on specific apartment complexes because some are zoned to better schools than others and some are what people would consider slummy... while others are fine.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by JCZnytobham

This is kind of a strange question, but are there any "nice" suburbs/neighborhoods we should stay away from (i.e. Ultra conservative, and maybe we wouldn't feel so comfortable being a mixed race family)?
I've seen a few homes in Crestline and Irondale I really like. Near Crestwood which was suggested as a neighborhood we may like, but above Mountain Brook which I read we should probably stay away from (I'm sure Mountain Brook is LOVELY, just not for us). Any thoughts?
Sorry for all the questions! Figured this is a good place to ask.

If you have the money and the connections and the status I would say go for MB. I think having those qualities in excess would trump your differences. But the old money conservative types that tend to dominate the area might throw shade every now and then but that could happen anywhere.

In most of the neighborhoods around here I really don't think you are going to have a problem with people beating your door down forcing you to go to church with them or giving you the stink eye because you have an interracial family.

[JCZnytobham]

steveklein & Tourian Thanks for your collective help!

[preguntas]

Actually it reads as if your perceptions have been developed by information from people who have never been here or who had what they considered negative experiences based on their own attitude projections.
I encounter people of your self-described profile, and more 'diverse', every day that I leave home. I don't see any reactions to these people unless they are acting without civility. I have traveled a great deal, perhaps you have not. The biggest thing that changes, I have found, is the landscape. People have different accents, but for the most part people are indeed people wherever you go.


My one caveat; the 'backwoods' of any area of the country, or world for that matter, to some degree harbors a different sort of people. It could be that they are in the 'backwoods' because they are anti-social, but at any rate I am not comfortable enough to be without guard in those places that I consider 'backwoods'. I mention this to dispel the 'Deliverance' mentality.

[WJSim]

I would say stay away from Mountain Brook only because it is very expensive only, you would struggle to find a lovely home there in your budget. l feel you would be made to feel very welcome though. I think you would not have a problem nor feel uncomfortable in any part of B'ham metro.

For more house and space for your money, I would have a look at for example Zillow in zip code area 35244 and 35242 both Jefferson and Shelby counties. These encompass a large area and there are some beautiful areas and homes there.

[JCZnytobham]

Originally Posted by WJSim

I would say stay away from Mountain Brook only because it is very expensive only, you would struggle to find a lovely home there in your budget. l feel you would be made to feel very welcome though. I think you would not have a problem nor feel uncomfortable in any part of B'ham metro.

For more house and space for your money, I would have a look at for example Zillow in zip code area 35244 and 35242 both Jefferson and Shelby counties. These encompass a large area and there are some beautiful areas and homes there.

Thanks for the info
Much appreciated.

[duhduhdee]

Probably moving to Bham in the next few months, gf is going to grad school at UAB.

Currently job searching, so not sure where exactly I will end up. Looking at customer service positions at tech companies with an eye on going to UAB for a CS degree when I qualify for in state tuition.

Currently living in Tallahassee in a 2 br apt with a roommate. Pay $500/month (each) for rent which includes basic cable and internet. Probably looking for a studio or 1 br initially that is not too much more, although I realize I'll pay more for utilities without a roommate splitting the bill.

Going up there in a couple weeks to visit friends and do some recon on apartments. Using the UAB area as somewhere I'll be often, what are some affordable neighborhoods I should look at?

Thanks in advance

[Tourian]

There's plenty to rent around UAB. I doubt you will find a 2br for 500. More like 750+ for the nicer, newer and/or closer properties.

Lots of students live on the southside and Homewood and on Lakeshore.

[steveklein]

You won't find a nicer, newer 2 bedroom for anywhere close to 500 or even 750 in the downtown area. You won't find a 1 bedroom for those prices either. 1 bedrooms are going to be 1000+ generally speaking, with 2 bedrooms probably on the order of 1400+. But again, those are for the new places in ideal locations.

You can probably find an older 1 bedroom in Hoover/Vestavia/maybe Homewood for 600-700.

[preguntas]

Look in the Glen Iris park area. Lots of range in all things, and next to a nice big park. Walking distance to all of UAB and Five Points.