Advice/Opinions about 3 areas in East Memphis (apartments, house)

[Mississippian84]

Me and my wife are just beginning a home search and have decided we want to live in either the(per the sticky map) Brennan, Bal-Moral, or River Oaks areas. Any spots within these areas that may be risky buys for any reason? For instance, I have heard that the Quincy-Messick area of Bal-Moral is a risky buy because of apartments etc. that have brought in some petty theft in adjoining neighborhoods. Also, any high demand areas/streets within those areas that run $300-500k that the consensus is, "that area will always be in demand?"

Would just love to hear from people that know the pros and cons of these areas and which you'd choose if you were a 30(married no kids, but will be having kids soon) year old couple in the above price range.

[eastmemphisguy]

If you want the "good" public schools, buy in the Richland Elementary zone. That's my area. You will live like a king at your budget. River Oaks is super duper fancy, but Ridgeway schools are very much not ideal.

[CristenS]

Do you plan on sending kids to private school? If not, then you need to look for a house in the acceptable public school areas. ie White Station Elem, Richland Elem, WS Middle, WS High. Or, you could risk the whole issue of the optional program, but who knows where that will be years from now. There are areas that have other okay elem schools, but they may not feed into good middle or high schools.