Thinking about moving there. What areas should I avoid? (Virginia Beach: for sale, apartment)

[stevenstoker]

I had the opportunity to visit last month, I loved it so much I am thinking about Moving there!

Places can be a bit deceptive until you actually live there. What areas should I avoid?

I have around $300,000 for a home.

[chesapeakesim]

I would avoid HR altogether if I were you . As far as areas to avoid, what cities are you looking at specifically (e.g. Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, etc.). I know in Chesapeake the South Norfolk area is considered a "rough" area. Great Bridge/Hickory is probably considered the best areas and places like Greenbrier are ok. I don't know enough about the other cities of Hampton Roads to give you much information. $300K won't get you much in Chesapeake in a decent area, maybe a starter home but that is about it. I would strongly recommend renting for a year or so anyway if you are not familiar with this area to make sure you like it here. Much like places, cities can be deceptive until you actually live there.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by stevenstoker

I had the opportunity to visit last month, I loved it so much I am thinking about Moving there!

Places can be a bit deceptive until you actually live there. What areas should I avoid?

I have around $300,000 for a home.

Can you define where there is? Which area, which cities?

[vbbryan725]

Originally Posted by chesapeakesim

I would avoid HR altogether if I were you . As far as areas to avoid, what cities are you looking at specifically (e.g. Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, etc.). I know in Chesapeake the South Norfolk area is considered a "rough" area. Great Bridge/Hickory is probably considered the best areas and places like Greenbrier are ok. I don't know enough about the other cities of Hampton Roads to give you much information. $300K won't get you much in Chesapeake in a decent area, maybe a starter home but that is about it. I would strongly recommend renting for a year or so anyway if you are not familiar with this area to make sure you like it here. Much like places, cities can be deceptive until you actually live there.

As much as I hate to say this I agree. Im 24 and have lived in virginia beach all my life and theres really nothing special happening here at all, like example drive around after 8pm on a weekday and its nothing to do or see and within 20 minutes your back where your started, this area seems like it would be nice if your retired & rich outside of that it is just rediculously overpriced for everything. A friend of mine that lives in NJ has a much nicer apartment then I had and was paying almost $500 month less for example, not trying to discourage you, but if your anywhere near my age theres no excitement and Im moving to LA, Cali October 25th and cant wait lots happening there!

But back on topic here are the areas to avoid
Va Beach - Green Run, virginia beach blvd and birdneck area not all of birdneck theres a boundary where it goes from crap to nice, most of holland road, chimney hill.
For norfolk I would avoid basically everywhere but downtown/ghent
Portsmouth forget it
Chesapeake dont know alot about but greenbrier where I go often seems nice, Cant tell you anything about the peninsula dont really know

[cityboi757]

Its' alot to do for me and I'm in my 20's.. Life is what you make it. You could go to LA and still not be happy.. But anyhow.. Places to avoid if you don't want to get robbed or shot:

Most of Norfolk except Downtown and Ghent.
South Norfolk section of Chesapeake
Green Run section of Virginia Beach
East end of Newport News
Who lives in Suffolk?
Who lives in Portsmouth?
Don't know much about Hampton

[chesapeakesim]

Originally Posted by stevenstoker

I had the opportunity to visit last month, I loved it so much I am thinking about Moving there!

Places can be a bit deceptive until you actually live there. What areas should I avoid?

I have around $300,000 for a home.

Just curious what you liked about it here?

[Randomdude]

Originally Posted by vbbryan725

But back on topic here are the areas to avoid
Va Beach - Green Run, virginia beach blvd and birdneck area not all of birdneck theres a boundary where it goes from crap to nice, most of holland road, chimney hill.

I would add most of Diamond Springs/Newtown area, until you get up right on the bay, pretty much everything on Lynnhaven between Princess Anne and Va Beach Blvd (this includes Green Run). You also have to be careful around the College Park area. This is a little section of Virginia Beach that juts out in to Chesapeake

Originally Posted by vbbryan725

For norfolk I would avoid basically everywhere but downtown/ghent
Portsmouth forget it

Actually, the worst parts of Norfolk are within about 2-3 miles of downtown. There are some neighborhoods that are closer to Virginia Beach that are very tolerable. Ive lived in a neighborhood for almost 5 years that the worst crime that has ever happened was domestic violence.

Originally Posted by vbbryan725

Chesapeake dont know alot about but greenbrier where I go often seems nice, Cant tell you anything about the peninsula dont really know

South Norfolk, which if there is a shooting in Chesapeake, its a 50/50 chance its likely here, hell, almost every area in Chesapeake along Indian River and Military until the Gilmerton Bridge. This area is a run down cess pool full of car dealerships and industrial shops that dont bother maintaining their buildings or lots. The neighborhoods tucked in behind them arent great, and contribute to probably the worst high school in Chesapeake, Indian River.

[rtandc]

What people are telling you but are trying to be politically correct when saying it is stay away from lower income areas....These areas breed crime....higher end neighborhoods wont exempt you from being a victim of a crime but they will better your odds.....

Virginia Beach is built weird because there can be neighborhoods built side by side and the cost of the homes from the one neighborhood to the other can be 100's of thousand of dollars difference in price.

A quick look in Va Bch shows a little over 150 homes for sale between 275-300K...some of the neighborhoods you could not pay me to live in, and some of them I think you would be fine but until you decide which city you want to live in giving any more advice would be difficult.

There are many single family homes for rent in Hampton Roads at this time and renting might be your best option until you learn the area well. Home prices are not going to rise any time soon if fact I believe they have quite a ways to drop still. With winter coming on home sellers are going to get more desperate to find either a buyer or someone to rent out their home. Play your cards right and you could end up with a good deal. But if you don't have a good job lined up here that is secure long term or plan on living here for at least for the next 6-10 years I think you would be foolish to buy a home right now

[shellytc]

Ok, may I suggest some areas you might want to look into for 300k and close to the beach? You did not mention if you are single/married/kids, etc... so I am going to make some random suggestions that are sought after areas for different reasons..
Are you looking to be right at the beach? you can get a condo type home in Shadowlawn or Beach Borrough.
go south across Rudee Inlets' to General Booth Blvd and you will be in the 23456 zip code, check out Hunt Club Forest, Ocean Lakes, Red Mill, and FoxFire. All within about a 10 to 15 minute drive to the beach.
there are other areas as well, depending on what you are looking for and where you will work.

Let me know if you would for me to refine that for you.

Shelly

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by shellytc

Ok, may I suggest some areas you might want to look into for 300k and close to the beach? You did not mention if you are single/married/kids, etc... so I am going to make some random suggestions that are sought after areas for different reasons..
Are you looking to be right at the beach? you can get a condo type home in Shadowlawn or Beach Borrough.
go south across Rudee Inlets' to General Booth Blvd and you will be in the 23456 zip code, check out Hunt Club Forest, Ocean Lakes, Red Mill, and FoxFire. All within about a 10 to 15 minute drive to the beach.
there are other areas as well, depending on what you are looking for and where you will work.

Let me know if you would for me to refine that for you.

Shelly

Those areas would work but if your trying to sell him some property in those areas don't forget to tell him about the jets from Oceana that will be doing touch and go landings off his roof top