Another Relocator Looking for Guidance... (Memphis, Midtown: for sale, rentals, houses)

[hd_cruzmates]

My apologies for posting yet another new thread requesting help with finding a good neighborhood and rental. I've ready so many posts and am trying to differentiate them all.

I've found many rentals on Craigslist around U/M very cheap. Is this a good area? I need a 3BR, preferrably with a fenced yard for our 2 four-legged family members, garage or carport, and prefer hardwood flooring or laminate/tile. I would like to stay around $600-$800 rent range...I know that's asking alot (sorry).

My husband and I are relocating with our two teenagers and we want the "city life" where we can walk, ride bikes places, and be close to all amenities. My teenagers want to be exposed to culture and city life. (We currently reside in a rural part of Florida).

My new job will be around Union Ave./Midtown. I'd truly appreciate ANY guidance.
Thanks to all of you who have posted to others. I'm trying to decipher them and organize my thoughts.

[ladybug35]

$800 is not a lot for a 3 bedroom, especially one with a yard. I would try Midtown or the UM area for sure. Pretty much anywhere in the city you could get "city life" although with a yard and a house, it's going to be the "10 minutes from anything" city life probably, rather than the downtown kind of feeling. I would look on the Revid Realty website or maybe contact a realtor. As a strictly one bedroom kind of gal, I'm not much help on actual houses. But if you find something, you can post the cross streets here and get opinions on the area!

[Tigertate]

The Normal Station neighborhood near the U of M is pretty OK. Sherwood Forrest is OK as well. Both areas are near the U of M and pretty safe, but there are better areas to live not too far away. However price may be an issue. Both of these areas have a lot of students and staff living in them so if you can find something in these areas you probably should check it out. Check out the sticky thread with the neighborhood maps to see where these neighborhoods are located. Are your teens going to be attending public school? If so you have a whole new set of issues to consider. In Memphis you do not want to put your kids in the wrong high school. Coming from a rural area they will probably be shocked with what they may see in some of the Memphis city high schools. This is definitely something you want to look into when making your housing decision. I believe the high schools in the U of M area are Melrose, East, and White Station. You do not want to be in the East High or Melrose High districts. No disrespect to anyone viewing my post that may have kids in these schools, but those schools are not good academically. There are some good kids in those schools, but way to many knuckleheads for my taste. I think those schools may have gang problems also. In this area you want to stay in the sections where you are zoned for either White Station or Overton. White Station is probably the best Memphis City high school, with a GREAT optional program. Overton is not great, but it is pretty good, and way better than Melrose and East in my opinion. There are other pretty good high schools, but I think these are the only ones located near the U of M area.

[GoJazz]

I would be pretty weary of anything south of U of M. To the north of U of M it is much better. There are a ton of houses for sale/possible some for rent. Right off Poplar just north (and within walking distance) of U of M.