From MN looking into purchasing a home in Palm Bay (Melbourne: sex offenders, crime)

[cynkay]

Does anyone have any info on Badger DR NE, since we are not from the area, it is hard to picture the different areas people are talking about. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by cynkay

Does anyone have any info on Badger DR NE, since we are not from the area, it is hard to picture the different areas people are talking about. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

It is in one of the older parts of town off a street(Bianca) that has a lot of smaller homes that need paint, repairs and the yards picked up. Badger is close to Edgewood Drive( have friend that lives there and not a bad street) so the homes on badger might be better cared for than on Bianca. Can't remember if any newer homes have been built in the area. You may find descent homes right next to dilapitated ones in most area in Florida. Sections of that whole area are sort of a changing' Prices are good right now and I think the whole area is on city water and sewer which is a good thing. Before you buy you really do need to drive down the streets during the day, after dark, and on weekends to see what the area is like.
If you have kids from this area they would go to Palm Bay Elem( the first elem in town). It was a good school when my kids were there, but haven't heard much about it recently. Junior high they would get bussed to Stone Junior High which is in South Melbourne. The location of school is not in a great area, but my sons got really good math and science education there. Then high school would be at Palm Bay High. Ity is a good school which also has good science and math as well as language arts classes. It even has a law curriculum.

From Badger you can walk or ride bikes to a park that has a lake and to Turkey Creek, the library, and the rec center. Have you googled the street?

[cynkay]

I have done a street view with google maps...looks pretty nice, but I feel that can be deceiving....my realtor took pictures of the neighborhood, looks good, nothing fancy, but we are not looking for fancy, just safe and comfortable. I did research on Brevard County Property Appraisl, looks like the majority of the homes have had the same owners for several years or more, looks like maybe only one or two sold in the last couple years, with only a couple on the market right now...appears the age range of the neighbors is from about 35 to 80.....Are children are grown, we do have a couple grandchildren that would come to spend time with us. All the input I can get really helps....thanks again

[waterlou]

Until a few weeks ago Palm Bay police department had a crime map link on their web site. The button is still there but inactive. You can get to the map but it requires a few extra steps. If you go here:

www.mapnimbus.com/DataNimbusClient.html?Client=Henry Co, GA

then drag the map over to the Palm Bay area and zoom in you can still see recent reported crimes or change the category type to see where sex offenders are located. The default date range is set at 2 weeks. If you change the date back a few months it’s sort of unsettling to see all of the incidents in town. Another site you might find useful is Crime | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com. It has a bookings search tool. Input a city name and leave the agency set as ‘any’ it will show you arrests made in Brevard for individuals from the given town. It can search a few years back but with using it I’ve found that the date range needs to be no more than 2 weeks at a time otherwise the records returned will max out. Paste the returns in a word doc, do a ctrl F to bring up a search box, and you can search for street names in the neighborhood that you are interested in.

I don’t live in the Melbourne/Palm Bay area either but I’m also researching and plan to move there. I’ve been several times in the last few years and would recommend you go for a few days at least and check into different neighborhoods in person. Google maps are often outdated and fuzzy and a realtor’s photos can make a turd look like the Taj Mahal.

Thank you for mentioning the Brevard County Property Appraisal site. That has already been a big help!

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by waterlou

Until a few weeks ago Palm Bay police department had a crime map link on their web site. The button is still there but inactive. You can get to the map but it requires a few extra steps. If you go here:

www.mapnimbus.com/DataNimbusClient.html?Client=Henry Co, GA

then drag the map over to the Palm Bay area and zoom in you can still see recent reported crimes or change the category type to see where sex offenders are located. The default date range is set at 2 weeks. If you change the date back a few months it’s sort of unsettling to see all of the incidents in town. Another site you might find useful is Crime | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com. It has a bookings search tool. Input a city name and leave the agency set as ‘any’ it will show you arrests made in Brevard for individuals from the given town. It can search a few years back but with using it I’ve found that the date range needs to be no more than 2 weeks at a time otherwise the records returned will max out. Paste the returns in a word doc, do a ctrl F to bring up a search box, and you can search for street names in the neighborhood that you are interested in.

I don’t live in the Melbourne/Palm Bay area either but I’m also researching and plan to move there. I’ve been several times in the last few years and would recommend you go for a few days at least and check into different neighborhoods in person. Google maps are often outdated and fuzzy and a realtor’s photos can make a turd look like the Taj Mahal.

Thank you for mentioning the Brevard County Property Appraisal site. That has already been a big help!

City of Palm Bay Police Department page has a daily blotter. You will notice that in many cases there will be numerous calls for the same incident like a suspicious car or person in a neighborhood. You also have to remember that not all departments list all calls for the public to see like Palm Bay does. It made us feel safer in our old neighborhood knowing that when we had a catr stop and sit in front of empty lot between neighbor and our home for extended time at 1 in the morning-every house on the block called in the suspicious car.

[cynkay]

Thank you....it is very helpful. Very scarey when looking into purchasing property in a place you are not familiar with, this has been so helpful.....

[warm11]

The area is okay... Your fairly close to the river and they have a nice park. The houses are older and close together. It all depends on what you want.

[annagurl333]

I know that this thread is over a month old, but I grew up in the area, so I thought I'd give you my perspective.

The homes definitely aren't fancy. Usually built in the 70s/80s, and mostly 3 bd 2 ba. They aren't very large. However, people don't need fancy, they need well built, safe, inexpensive, and clean. And for the most part, that area fits this description.

There are a lot of families with kids, and a large elderly population in the area. I'd say its about 40/60. As for safety concerns, most of the kids mind to themselves. Every once in a while you'll hear of someone's mailbox having got run over by a "new driver" or some stupid kids walking in large groups with mischievious looks and intentions (think drugs). And you'll most likely have kids running through your yard during the weekend days playing tag and hide and go seek...unless you have a fence. It's pretty safe. I as a teenage girl just a few years back, I used to walk around Bianca during the day and early evening by myself and never worried. And there is a police station right next to Veteran's Park, about 2 streets over across Port Malabar Blvd.

As for well built, try to have the roof inspected, or perhaps have someone you know in the area look at it. A lot of homes in 2004 had their roofs blown off from the hurricanes, and a few roofing companies came in from out of state doing horrible jobs. (for instance, shingles being put on upside down). Also, if you can, choose a house on a slight incline. Its Florida, and streets do flood a couple of times a year. It's just smart to get one that has a foot or two high incline. Badger St. doesn't have the best water drainages. I remember times it flooded as a kid (picture water being a few inches deep).

It's a nice location with the park right by, Cumberland Farms and other convienent stores within walking distance, and even a bus station not too far away (Daytona & Port Malabar Blvd.). It's not the most desired part of town, but its certainly not "bad". My advice, if you can, find out who the neighbors are? Their living habits? I'm not sure if you can do that from so far away, but maybe you have friends that could drive by the area at night time on the weekends? To see if they have mean dogs, or throw lots of parties, or perhaps are wonderful neighbors to have!

My final verdict: quaint, cozy, safe, quieter, almost no through traffic (kids play on the streets).

I'd personally choose west melbourne area around Emerson, but the area your looking at is decent. I felt safe there, so did my family, and I thought I had a pretty good childhood. I still visit my family regularly around there and it still feels the same. Traffic in east Palm Bay is way less too! You'll never run into traffic on Port Malabar Blvd! Good luck, Take care.

oh, and curious, around what area of Minn do you live? Just asking because that is one of the states I am going to apply to jobs to when I graduate soon!

[cynkay]

Thank you so much for the info....it was great, and really helps a person so far away feel better. I do have family in the area...Jensen Beach and Kissimmee, at least fairly close driving distance. I am very excited about the prospect of having a home in Florida...we would be using it for vacations right now, and plan to be snowbirds when the day comes......
I live in Rochester MN (the home of IBM and the Mayo Clinic...it is a great city and I love living here, but winters are getting a little rough as we age......,) What type of work are you looking for? If you have any questions about Minnesota please feel free to email me directly, if I don't have the answer, I will try to find it for you....take care, and once again....thank you. PS We did make an offer on the home, are still waiting to hear,.....