Moving to Savannah (have lived in Charleston, Atlanta, Athens) (Pooler: rent, insurance)

[cruseppi]

Hey there. I recently moved out west after a decade in the south. We came to be close to family a while, but I'm itching to get back to Georgia. Savannah is the plan. We owned in Charleston for several years, stupidly sold, and could never buy there now.

I'm aware of the annoying parts of Charleston and Savannah.

We're hoping to buy in an affordable neighborhood that would work for:

40 yr. olds with no kids
Want to be close to downtown

Below, Stuff that matters a bit, perhaps, but I know the south well enough to know I'm not gonna find enclaves of aging hipsters outside Asheville and Atlanta:

I guess we're artsy leaning
Progressive politics

My wife is planning to quit her well-paying job to focus on an entrepreneurial project, so our income is gonna drop significantly, sadly. Hoping to buy in the $2-300k bracket.

Any advice on neighborhoods would be so appreciated. Thanks!

[CoastalGAGuy]

To afford that, you're going to need to compromise on space or location, or maybe a bit of both. My 1,000 sq. ft. condo space south of Forsyth Park is worth more in the overheated market we now have. Granted, it is zoned commercial.

Think "fixer-upper" if you want space. Think "on the edge of gentrification" if you want to maximize the potential for not getting upside down in a plateauing, if not reversing market. The Victorian District is quickly converting. Eastward down the Anderson/Henry corridor toward Waters there are probably bargains to be had and like-minded folks.

[UptwnRsdnt]

The only thing I'll add to the above is to be patient. We have made offers on several homes in and around Savannah recently, and within a matter of days of coming on the market there have been 10-20+ offers in some cases.

[cruseppi]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

Think "on the edge of gentrification" if you want to maximize the potential for not getting upside down in a plateauing, if not reversing market.

Are you saying the housing market in Savannah is on the verge of cooling? Perhaps I should rent for a bit in that case. I thought I'd read it was only going to get crazier.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by cruseppi

Are you saying the housing market in Savannah is on the verge of cooling? Perhaps I should rent for a bit in that case. I thought I'd read it was only going to get crazier.

It has definitely not cooled off here. You will really need to set the bar low to find anything under $300k in Savannah. You can still find some houses in Pooler, Rincon, Guyton, etc.

[CoastalGAGuy]

I'm not saying the housing market is on the verge of cooling - quite the opposite. It's going nuclear. Then, soon enough it'll be a wasteland. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905.

[cruseppi]

Any thoughts on the Live Oak area?

[PA991.1]

Originally Posted by cruseppi

Any thoughts on the Live Oak area?

Worth a look for homes in your price range. Flood insurance is advised - see http://floodfactor.com

[ArmyBrat619]

Better than Disgusta

[CampinMom]

Look around in the Whitfield Park area off Whitefield Avenue. Not far from city limits, but no city taxes.