Good and bad areas within Fort Lauderdale? (Hollywood, Rio: crime, cheap home)

[UK to FL]

Compared to say.... Hollywood.... how does Fort Lauderdale compare crime wise? There appear to be quite a few cheap homes available there, within our price range.

It's important to us to be in the safest neighbourhood possible. That doesn't mean most expensive or middle class, just free from gangs and pan handlers, you know?

We'd previously ignored FLauderdale believing it must be too expensive, but many small starter homes are available for under $130K. Would these be in ok areas? Is FLauderdale any really more peaceful/safer than anywhere else?

[Nolefan34]

Fort Lauderdale has many very bad neighborhoods which would explain why the homes you're seeing are cheap. If they're cheap, it means they're probably in a bad neighborhood. The good neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale will be considerably more expensive. There are more bad neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale than in Hollywood.

It is hard to explain the bad neighborhoods. I'll try though. Avoid anything west of US1 and north of Broward Blvd. Stay east of US1 or South of Broward Blvd. Neighborhoods such as Las Olas, Victoria Park, Colee Hammock Park, and Rio Vista are good neighborhoods.