Moving to Starkville... HELP!!! (Columbus: apartments, rentals, month to)

[laura.daniels]

We are moving to Starkville next week to do some research on a church plant in the area. We only know one person in Starkville (a college student) and a few people in Columbus.

We are coming in town Monday and Tuesday to look for housing and hope to find a place to live by Wednesday. We will have to sign a month to month or short term lease until we know for sure that the church plan is approved. Does anyone know a place that would be a good short term rental option?

Also, we have a 3 year old and 5 year old... what areas of town are safe for families (walking with the girls, etc.)? Are there any areas we should stay away from? We obviously want to meet lots of people once we get in town and get settled... any suggestions for places to go where people tend to gather? Do you have any suggestions for fun things to do with the kids? My husband will be working during the day and we might go "exploring" the new city.

Any other tips and hints are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[jacksonian]

It's been a while since I've been in Starkville, but being that you have kids, I would tend to steer clear of any apartments that are majority college students. It's not that it's not safe, it's just usually louder than usual, especially at night. There are some great neighborhoods with houses for rent, but I have no clue if/which ones would be available for a short term lease. The cotton district is great for walking/exploring, but it also is majority college students. I would look at houses just south of downtown, around Montgomery St and just west of there first. It is centrally located, and there are some beautiful homes there. Another place to look would be down S. Montgomery St, south of Hwy 12. There are neighborhoods starting at Hwy 12, and they go on for miles down S. Montgomery. There are some neighborhoods further down Hwy 12, near Kroger that are ok as well, and will be cheaper. Just be sure to let your realtor know that you're looking for a centrally located house in an area that is safe and good for kids and walking, and they should know where to take you to look. The closer you are to downtown/main street, the better experience you will have, in my opinion. There's lots of shopping and restaurants there, and festivals occur quite often as well.

[JL1543]

I have a friend who lives there and according to him its a generally safe area and pretty quiet aside from the University area. Sorry for not having much more information.

[peppermint]

I was raised in Starkville. It's changed a lot in the last 10 years. It's growing like crazy. I don't know of anywhere in Starkville that is scary. Outside of the university and your church home, there isn't a whole lot going on in town. There are several parks for the kiddos - McKee Park was the big one when I was a kid. The university often has a lot going on - art shows, theatre, music, festivals, etc. Some of these are aimed at kids. I think it's in May that there is a big ag show with farm animals for the kids to pet, feed, etc.

I don't know about housing, but I agree with jacksonian about college housing. Most apartments and rental houses near the university are going to be largely college students, and they will be loud. The Cotton District is very nice, but largely aimed at college students. It's the only area that I know is pedestrian and bike friendly. I'm not sure about places outside the historic downtown area.

South Montgomery is nice, but the houses & apartments close to Highway 12 are mostly rented by college students. I don't know of rentals on down that road. It's mostly nice houses, but some could be rentals. Like I said, it's been 10 years since I lived in the area.

As far as meeting people, church, work & the university are your best bets. There is a community theate and community orchestra (and maybe choir). Those are good options. There are clubs on campus - like hiking, canoeing, etc. I don't know if you have to be a student/teacher.

I'm not sure this info is helpful. I wish you the very best in your move. It's difficult to pick up and move somewhere new. Good luck!